18,000 retrenched this year.

Byline: Rina De Silva; Adie Suri Zulkefli

KUALA LUMPUR: At least 18,000 Malaysian factory workers have been retrenched this year.

However, it is unclear if the workers were retrenched because the factories ceased operations or due to cost-cutting measures -- such as reduction in work orders, working hours and overtime -- as well as the restructuring of the production line.

Malaysians make up 20 per cent of workers in most factories here while the rest are foreigners. If the factories shut down, then all workers, regardless of their nationalities, would be retrenched.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam reiterated yesterday that …