Contractors at the mercy of workers
My closest encounter of being in the construction line was undergoing industrial training at a construction site in Kepong while pursuing my education in civil engineering. The six months training was an eye opener, from witnessing how workers catch a monitor lizard for their dinner to the Immigration Department raiding the site to nab illegal workers. While still in the midst of celebrating the Lunar New Year, I spoke to some contractors about the latest in the scene. We spoke about new technologies but most importantly why construction work - from developing a house to refurbishing homes - is becoming expensive. "The high costs of materials is just one of the factor. But then again, most accessories and parts (taps, basins, storage tanks) are made in China so the prices are still OK," said a contractor. "The problem is the foreign workers- lah . They are holding us at ransom. They dictate their wages and are arrogant enough to tell us if we can't pay them, they wil...