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Saturday, May 20, 2023

Starting salaries are higher now

Having what it takes: Among the criteria that recruiters look at before hiring were if prospective employees were willing to take up the challenges and go the extra mile to execute and deliver their work. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

https://cdn.thestar.com.my/Content/Images/job_vacancies_19052023.jpg

GEORGE TOWN: Starting salaries for fresh graduates entering the job market has risen by about 30% compared with before the pandemic due to lifestyle and high cost of living, say recruiters and human resource practitioners.

In Penang’s hotel and tourism industries, starting salaries for fresh graduates now are at RM2,500 onwards while in the manufacturing sector, the starting salary for engineers can be RM4,000 and as much as RM5,000.

Malaysia Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang chairman Tony Goh said the higher salary is due to the supply and demand in the tourism industry and taking into account the current higher cost of living.

“For us now, salaries are definitely higher compared with before the pandemic. We don’t expect them (new graduates) to work with a basic salary of RM1,300 to RM1,500 like before.

“The second thing is, people must be able to sustain the lifestyle they need while working with us, hence the need for higher basic salaries,” he said.

He said the minimum wage rule imposed by the government last year contributed to the generally higher salaries for all other positions now.

He said new graduates who are eligible and qualified would be paid a basic salary of around RM2,500, excluding allowances.

Since May 1 last year, employers with five or more workers were required by the Minimum Wages Order 2022 to increase the minimum wage to RM1,500.

Goh said among the careers sought by new graduates in the hotel and tourism industries are receptionists, executives, sales coordinators and administration executives.

In an exclusive report yesterday, The Star revealed that industry research showed that fresh graduates’ salaries ranged from about RM2,600 to almost RM2,900 in the Klang Valley and Johor Baru, while it was about RM2,400 in Melaka.Leaders of business NGOs interviewed opined that fresh graduates should manage their starting salary expectations, on top of reviewing their life goals.

But a check in Penang’s manufacturing sector showed that graduates with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) capabilities might enjoy a much better starting point.

Factories can pay fresh graduates as much as RM5,000 if they are involved in the design and development of integrated circuits, said Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association’s Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai.

“Generally, any STEM graduate working in Penang’s factories can expect a starting pay of about RM3,500,” he said.

He urged parents to help their children develop a passion for STEM to give them a good starting point after getting their first degree.

Pentamaster Corporation Berhad group executive chairman Chuah Choon Bin said the median salary for STEM graduates in Penang now is about RM4,000, and this is due to the surge in foreign direct investments (FDIs) in Penang last year.

“Because of the high FDI, there is a lot of competition for manpower, so multinational companies increase the offered pay to attract skilled workers and fresh graduates,” he said.

Chuah, however, said this year, the hiring wave is down a bit due to the slowing global consumer market, the trade war and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

He said some companies have started slashing down their workforce by implementing voluntary separation schemes and shortening operating hours to cut costs.

Chuah said he expects the slowdown to continue until the end of the year, depending on the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war and how intense the trade war between the United States and China would be.

Human resource specialist Azimah Aziz said that normally starting salaries are based on job scope and the candidate’s experience.

“For example, for the starting salary of a research assistant in aquaculture, the basic pay starts from RM2,900 for a fresh graduate,” she said.

She said among the criteria that recruiters look at before hiring were if prospective employees were willing to take up the challenges and go the extra mile to execute and deliver their work.

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Fresh grads want too much

thestar.com.my/news/nation/20

Employers unable to meet fresh grads' high salary expectations

We want liveable wages, not merely high salaries’

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Fresh grads earning higher starting salaries now know their market value: HR expert | THE BIG STORY

Friday, May 19, 2023

The stark contrast between China-Central Asia Summit at Xi'an injects multilateral clean stream while G7 summit at Hiroshima dumps political sewage

What is true multilateralism and what is pseudo-multilateralism? China's Xi'an on Thursday and Japan's Hiroshima on Friday provide two samples. The China-Central Asia Summit and the Group of Seven (G7) Summit held in these two cities respectively are vivid and accurate representation and illustration. The international community can see the contrast clearly.

China-Central Asia Summit a positive demonstration for world: Global Times editorial

The China-Central Asia Summit is being held with confidence and openness, because we do not engage in geopolitical ...

The leaders of China and the five Central Asian countries are meeting in Xi'an, the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road. The profound meaning it represents transcends time, space and national boundaries. The six countries trade with each other, have friendly exchanges in diplomacy, and learn from each other in culture. This kind of communication mode of openness, tolerance, mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit has continued from the ancient Silk Road to today's "Belt and Road," showing a strong vitality and charisma.

This is true multilateralism, which is deeply rooted and popular in the world. It is committed to tackling challenges through cooperation, addressing issues that matter to all through consultation, and pursuing unity rather than division, cooperation rather than confrontation. The China-Central Asia Summit is a concrete practice of true multilateralism. It not only promotes the development of relations between China and Central Asian countries, but also injects a clear stream into the complicated and turbulent international situation where some people deliberately muddle the water. As a result, Xi'an, the ancient capital of thousands of years, presents a new look.

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TOKYO: The weekend gathering of finance chiefs from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies leaves signs that the world’s second-larges.

The G7 summit to be held in Hiroshima, Japan, makes an instant contrastive display of pseudo-multilateralism, or defines pseudo-multilateralism. What it engages in is an exclusive and closed clique that provokes geopolitical antagonism and confrontation. Even before the G7 summit is held, it released negative information one after another. In addition to further adding fuel to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it also targets China - its interest has been on forming groups to strengthen containment of other countries. Japan's insistence on dumping its nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the Pacific has aroused the international community's indignation, and Japan, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7, has also turned this year's G7 meeting into a geopolitical drain.

"Truth" and "falsehood" will inevitably have a fierce collision. Even if "truth" does not care about "falsehood," "falsehood" will still smear "truth" in order to deceive others. This is the fundamental reason why some Western media and public opinion launch concentrated attacks and provocations against the China-Central Asia Summit. Behind every attack lies their dark intentions.

The hegemonic thinking of the US imposes a multiple-choice question on non-Western countries, dividing the diverse world into allies, geopolitical pawns, and geopolitical opponents or even enemies, and treating them differently. G7 countries are allies, Central Asian countries are pawns, and China is an opponent. This seems clear and distinct in Washington's eyes. However, they will never realize the immense disrespect toward countries seen as pawns and the great malice toward countries seen as opponents. Even allies are often the bullying targets that can be blackmailed at US will. They also disregard the serious damage caused by their actions to the overall interests of humanity.

The stark contrast between the clean stream of multilateralism injected by China and Central Asian countries in Xi'an and the geopolitical sewage discharged by the G7 in Hiroshima is evident. In terms of intentions, on one side, there is a shared destiny when both sides benefit based on mutual respect and equality; on the other side, there is the imperial arrogance of "one is superior than others," and the interest system of "Washington supremacy." In terms of specific actions, on one side, there is a focus on "development first," where anything beneficial for development and prosperity is promoted, which inherently makes it open and inclusive; on the other side, there are manifestations of closed and narrow-minded clique politics, filled with confrontation and destruction.

On one side is the extensive consultation and joint contribution, while on the other side is the bargaining "unified stance." These two summits vividly reflect two completely different approaches to dealing with each other in today's world. Washington officials are believed to have a clear target when talking about the G7 Summit, that is, confronting China. In contrast, China has clearly stated that its cooperation with Central Asia is not aimed at any third party, nor does it intend to compete with other mechanisms. China is willing to support any measures that are truly beneficial to regional stability and development and conducive to common prosperity in the region. The two different mindsets, perspectives and patterns are clearly distinguishable.

In recent years, different choices have written different annotations. In terms of development, the Belt and Road Initiative has brought a lot of development opportunities to countries along the route. The participation of the five Central Asian countries in the summit in Xi'an is the most convincing example. In terms of security, the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security has become increasingly popular. It has promoted a gratifying wave of reconciliation in the Middle East and can be expected to bear fruits in more places in the future. On the other hand, Washington also invested a lot of costs in diplomacy after the end of the Cold War. However, the fact is that wherever it focuses on, there is confrontation and turmoil. From the Iraq War, the Syria War, the "Arab Spring" to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which one does not have the shadow of the US and the West behind it?

In this sense, some Western media outlets comparing the China-Central Asia Summit with the G7 Summit is a good thing. It allows the world to see what the right path for humanity is, what the people support and what the future of mankind is.

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Overwhelmed with everything around you? There's no shame in seeking help

A good warning sign to seek help is when one feels too overwhelmed with negative emotions and hopelessness as well as helplessness.

Depression: How a growth mindset and good social support can...

How Depression Affects The Brain - Yale Medicine Explains

Depression takes a hefty physical, emotional and mental toll on its patients. — 123rf.com

"I AM so depressed; the store does not have my dress size."

"So depressing, I missed the first part of the show.”

We often hear statements where the term "depression" is used loosely, almost callously. Many assume it is synonymous with feeling sad.

But sadness is an emotion everyone experiences after a stressful life event, which is followed by the ability to get on with their lives. Depression, on the other hand, is a common mood disorder. People suffering from depression often experience persistent sadness and loss of interest which impair their daily functional ability.

In a depressed person, certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters become imbalanced. These neurotransmitters are responsible for stabilising our mood, helping us focus and get proper sleep, among others.

Globally, 3.8% of the population suffer from depression, according to a 2023 estimation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Invisible pain

Y, a middle-aged businessman, had lost everything in a bad business deal. Gradually, his wealthy friends vanished from his life.

His mood was low most of the time, he isolated himself, lost his appetite as well as weight, and hardly slept. He lost confidence and was not motivated to get back on his feet.

It was only when he started expressing death wishes that his family brought him to seek treatment. With medication, psychotherapy (talk therapy) and good family support, he bounced back, started a new business and succeeded.

A person suffering from depression has low mood most of the days, for at least two weeks. This may be accompanied by feeling tired all the time, loss of interest in the activities they used to enjoy, loss of appetite and weight (some may overeat and gain weight).

In addition, one may suffer poor quality or excessive sleep, isolate themselves from their loved ones, lose interest in sexual activities, suffer from low self-confidence and feel unworthy.

Other common symptoms are loss of hope, loss of focus and concentration, memory impairment as well as having body aches and pains.

Worst-case scenario

The fatal consequence of depression is suicide. If a depressed person expresses suicidal ideation or intent, do not ignore this plea for help.

Do not wait till your loved one expresses death wishes to seek medical treatment. It might be too late. Depression is a treatable condition and suicide can be prevented if early action is taken. Being depressed is not a sign of weakness. There is nothing to be ashamed about being depressed.

Depression can occur as a result of any overwhelming life events, for example, after delivery of a baby or post retirement. Many who are diagnosed with chronic medical illness suffer from depression as well.

The risk of developing depression is higher if one has a family history of depression, poor coping skills, or poor family or social support. Depression is also common among the elderly, especially those who live alone.

As depression can make one forgetful, families often think they are suffering from dementia. Young children can suffer from depression too.

Dr Gayathri says adherence to treatment protocol is imperative for recovery. — IHH Healthcare

Tailored plan

A psychiatrist or psychologist will assess the symptoms and tailor a management plan depending on the severity of the symptoms; mild, moderate or severe.

This management plan is holistic and will incorporate emotional, physical, cognitive, social as well as spiritual aspect of the patient’s life. One can lead a normal life if one adheres to the treatment protocol.

Sometimes talk therapy and having the person do the homework and exercises planned with the psychiatrist or psychologist is enough to manage depression. A psychiatrist may also suggest adding antidepressants, depending on the severity of the depression.

Contrary to popular belief, antidepressants are not addictive. One may not necessarily need long-term antidepressant treatment, except in more complex situations.

A glitch in the management of depression is that many become non-adherent the moment they start feeling better.

There is a duration that one must adhere to in order to complete the course of treatment as the neurotransmitter levels may not have stabilised, even though one has started to feel better.

Some patients look up their symptoms online and come up with self-diagnosis. This is not advisable.

If you are looking for information on depression, or any health condition for that matter, check out only credible websites or you may end up being misinformed.

To help look out for your loved ones suffering from depression, do not downplay their symptoms nor tell them to snap out of it.

Support them. Make sure they get help as soon as possible. The earlier the treatment, the better the outcome.

Stigma towards mental illness is terribly outdated yet many are still clinging to this notion. There is no need to suffer in silence. Seek professional help. Do not risk your health and happiness at the expense of other people’s perception of you.

By Dr Gayathri K. Kumarasuriar is a consultant psychiatrist at a private hospital in Melaka.

Those suffering from mental health issues or contemplating suicide can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999 or 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp); Jakim’s Family, Social and Community care centre (011-1959 8214 on WhatsApp); and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929, go to www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in- malaysia for a full list of numbers and operating hours, or email sam@befrienders.org.my).

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