The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research
Online ISSN: 2672-7080
© SEARCH Journal 2021
SEARCH 13(1), 2021, 61-77
http://search.taylors.edu.my
The perspectives of street
food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19
pandemic
Rachel Yong Yuen May
UNITAR International University, Malaysia
*Muhammad Safuan Abdul Latip
Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Terengganu Kampus Dungun, Malaysia
safuanlatip@uitm.edu.my
ABSTRACT
Gastronomic tourism is a strong motivator for tourists to visit destinations famous for their cuisine
and street food. Street food is a socially and culturally recognised food source that is inexpensive,
easy, and appealing for both urban and rural populations worldwide. As a unique destination attractor,
street food can be a useful tool in marketing destinations. In Malaysia, the street food sector is one
of the many industries that employs many foreign workers to resolve its labour shortage due to
Malaysia’s rapid economic growth and demand for unskilled workers. Regrettably, foreign workers
have contributed considerably towards the total number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia. This research
explores street food traders’ perspective regarding the hiring of foreign workers for their stalls during
the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on these workers. Using the theory of
planned behaviour as the underlying theory, researchers obtained qualitative data from in-depth
interviews with eight street food traders and five foreign workers from October to December 2020.
The thematic analysis of the interview data was done using NVivo 12 Pro. The findings provide some
insights on the motivations for recruiting foreign workers in terms of attitude, perceived social pressure
and perceived behavioural control. In light of the findings, the government should review its foreign
workforce and design nuanced policies to accommodate the labour needs of specific economic
sectors while striving towards reducing foreign labour dependence.
Keywords: Foreign workers, street food, perspective, theory of planned behaviour, COVID-19.
* Corresponding authorThe perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
INTRODUCTION
Street food is now strongly synonymous with tourism. It is considered a significant motivator
for tourists to visit destinations, particularly Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia (Yong, Abdul Latip, Ahmad Jailani, Muhamad Amin
& Abdul Kadir, 2020). The varying demands and individual food preferences drive
travellers to visit numerous street food stalls for ready-to-eat and value for money meals.
Subsequently, as food is an allegory or symbol of the local culture, authentic and exotic
social interactions centring around food as a form of self-connectedness (Ellis, Park,
Kim, & Yeoman, 2018) provide visitors a heritage experience (Ling, Noor, Mustafa, &
Kiumarsi, 2019).
A foreign worker is a person engaged in a paid job in a country in which he or
she is not a national (United Nations, 1990). In recent decades, rapid globalisation
has increased the labour movement and facilitated significant transboundary internal
migration. Although foreign workers supported Malaysia’s fast growth in the early 1970s
and throughout the 1980s, it was only in the early 1990s that formal guidelines for foreign
workers were formulated and implemented (World Bank, 2019). As foreign workers are
expected to continue to play an essential role in supporting the Malaysian economy, there
is an urgent need to review where they are most needed and how they can be better engaged
for industrial and productivity growth. This is because an overreliance on low-wage and
low-skilled foreign labour would weigh heavily on the country’s efforts to increase its
productivity and innovation in order to move up the economic ladder.
Recently, the rising number of COVID-19 cases involving foreign workers has
generated widespread stigmatisation and prejudice amongst the local population towards
this group. Foreign workers are a high-risk group since they usually live in crowded quarters
with limited amenities, either to save money or as provided by their employer. There have
been suggestions to limit and regulate foreign labour in the service industries, particularly
in the food and beverage industry following the virus outbreak. In July 2020, the Malaysian
government only allowed three sectors to employ foreign workers, that is, construction,
agriculture and plantation (“Malaysia to lift limit”, 2020). However, a month later, many
employers in the food and beverage industry lamented the need for foreign labour to ensure
business sustainability, which then led to the ban being lifted.
Given this background, there is a need to better understand employers’ perception
of foreign worker dependency during this pandemic. Some studies highlighted the
importance of understanding COVID-19’s effects on business and consumer perception
(Tumin, Ramasamy, Newaz, Noh, & Abdul Latip, 2020). For instance, street food vendors
at Petaling Jaya Old Town, being primarily foreign workers, resulted in customers being
wary of patronising these stalls due to the spike of cases amongst foreign workers which
led to reduced business and income (Soo, 2020). Therefore, this study aims to provide
some insights on foreign worker dependency in the street food industry in terms of traders’
attitude, subjective norm and their perceived behavioural control regarding their hiring
intention. Subsequently, this paper aims to discover the extent of the COVID-19 impact
on foreign workers at Petaling Jaya Old Town. The findings of this study may benefit all
stakeholders in terms of government actors at all levels, private sector, small business
owners and local citizens. Further, by shedding some light on the issue, the researcher
hopes to provide some guidance on better policy and management practices regarding the
street food industry’s human capital.
62SEARCH 13(1), 2021
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theory of planned behaviour
The theory of planned behaviour served as the theoretical framework of the present
study. Scholarly work have studied and predicted various processes related to emotions,
intentions, and behaviours, such as the workplace’s hiring perspective (Farashah &
Blomquist, 2019; Jasper & Waldhart, 2013). Developed by Ajzen (1991), the theory of
planned behaviour proposes that a person’s intention typically influences conduct. People
are typically pragmatic in their choices, extensively using existing data and weighing the
consequences of their conduct before determining whether to engage in a particular
activity. The theory also contributes to the development of perceptions of an individual. In
the social environment, interactions that individuals experience give rise to social pressures
that demand conformity (Periyayya, Nair, Shariff, Roland, & Thanaseelan, 2016).
This theory’s central premise is that attitude, subjective norm such as perceived
social pressure to perform a specific behaviour and perceived behavioural control together
determine an individual’s behavioural intentions. This theory, however, has been rarely used
in studies on foreign workers as compared to other fields such as organic food, marketing
and hiring of individuals with disabilities (Jasper & Waldhart, 2013; Tumin et al., 2020).
Nevertheless, a recent study which applied the theory to the hiring intentions of foreign
workers across Europe (Farashah & Blomquist, 2019) found that a manager with a positive
attitude towards foreign workers is most likely to evaluate a foreign candidate positively
and proceed with the hiring. Therefore, the same application underlines the present study,
specifically in the context of the development of perception amongst street food traders.
Hiring capability
– Cost and wages
Skills and attitude
– Capability
Behavioural Attitude toward
– Work ethics
belief the behaviour
– Worth of pay
Perceived social
pressure
Intention
– Social perception
Normative Subjective on foreign
– Social judgement Behavioural
belief norms workers’
Job characteristics
dependency
– Work environment
– Work nature
Sustainability Perceived
– Cost saving Control belief Behavioural
– Economic pressure Control
Figure 1. Research framework
Study area
Petaling Jaya Old Town is the first and oldest town in the Petaling Jaya district in Malaysia.
This town experienced massive population growth in the 1950s. Historically, Petaling Jaya
was born when the Selangor government relocated citizens to Effingham State as a new
settlement to resolve the squatters’ crisis. Petaling Jaya grew simultaneously with Kuala
63The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
Lumpur and was renamed as Petaling Jaya Municipal Council in January 1977 and then
elevated to Petaling Jaya City Council in June 2006. However, Petaling Jaya Old Town
eventually faded into a forgotten town without the economic vibrancy of the 1960s and
1970s (Sri Priya, 2017). Therefore, as with many towns, micro-industries such as street food
became a vital component of its economic lifeline.
Street food and foreign workers
During the early 1990s, Malaysia encountered tight labour markets, both in the industrial
and expanding service sectors. Correspondingly, foreign workers are a crucial driver of
competitiveness and economic growth (World Bank, 2019). Malaysia is home to nearly three
million foreign workers, making it the sixth-largest country in Eastern Asia with migrant
workers. Indonesians compose the bulk of them (39%), in terms of legal status (temporary
work visas issued by the Immigration Department), followed by Nepalese workers (24%),
Bangladeshis (14%), and the rest (Ang, Murugasu, & Wei, 2018). Six main sectors which
employs low-to-medium skilled foreign employees are plantations, agricultural, services,
building and domestic household work. This measure helped resolve the imbalances in
some sectors’ labour market, including food and beverage (Leong, 2018).
Foreign workers comprise a resilient, acquiescent workforce that is in high demand
due to numerous reasons. Driven by economic choices with an eye on the profit margin,
employers who hire foreign workers may perceive them dispassionately as a cost-effective
commodity (Arifin, 2020). This cost management measure correlates with numerical and
temporal flexibility in terms of the convenience it accords to recruit and dismiss foreign
employees quickly and to adjust working hours in response to business’ demands (Wright &
Clibborn, 2019). Perceptions of foreign workers demonstrating a better work attitude, such as
higher work commitment, ease of retention and reasonable value of productivity, have been
shown to account for employer preferences (Dawson, Veliziotis, & Hopkins, 2018). Besides,
food and beverage business owners depend on foreign workers due to their availability, wage
factor and lenient laws and regulations (Puteh, Ishak, Sheikh, & Anwar, 2011).
In actual fact, Malaysians do not take up menial jobs because of low wages, poor
working conditions and lax labour policies (Kamel, 2020). These employment opportunities
are also turned down by the locals as they are associated with a social stigma. The employers
believe these jobs are not viewed as highly respected careers due to society’s negative
perception towards people who perform these jobs (Kumar, 2016). Thus, foreign workers are
seen as resolving this labour shortage on a long-term basis (Puteh et al., 2011). Employers
also cannot afford to keep replacing local workers who keep leaving and losing customers
due to inconsistent quality, which can lead to permanent closure (Pillai, 2018).
Foreign workers in Malaysia frequently face numerous issues of exploitation and
abuse (Putul & Mia, 2018). Nonetheless, the high unemployment rate in their native country
becomes a push factor that leads to their migration to Malaysia and willingness to accept
low-wage employment (Abdul Rahim, Nawawi, & Puteh Salin, 2017; Puteh et al., 2011). The
decision to migrate is also encouraged by the currency exchange rate of the native country
as working abroad generates a higher income. So, foreign workers are considered vulnerable
due to the dependency of income for individual and family support, leading to resigned
acceptance of any unfair treatment from employers and locals (Putul & Mia, 2018).
The food and beverage service industry widely employs foreign workers including
street food businesses. Street food is classified as light, ready-to-eat food or drinks sold on the
road or other public spaces such as market, which can be consumed on the spot or packed for
takeaway (May et al., 2020). A wide variety of food sold by street food traders have become
cultural landmarks and tourist attractions (Henderson, 2017). In representing a country’s
64SEARCH 13(1), 2021
local cuisine, street food helps market a destination as food connects travellers to its history,
heritage and community (Bukharov & Berezka, 2018). However, it is common to see the
local street food scene today being dominated by foreign workers which indirectly, affects
the interpretation of traditional dishes. In response, Penang, one of Malaysia’s popular
gastronomic states, attempted to preserve its culinary authenticity by revoking licences for
hawkers with foreign cooks. Foreign workers however, were allowed to be helpers instead
with locals retained as the main chef. Other states have not followed suit, such as Kuala
Lumpur, where customers are less perturbed by the taste of food prepared by foreign workers
but are more concerned about hygiene (Chong & Chiam, 2018).
Although the benefits of hiring foreign workers are attractive such as cost-saving,
overcoming labour shortage, and availability, most foreign workers in Malaysia are poorly
educated (94.8%) (Ang et al., 2018). Not only does this hamper the shift from labour-
intensive industries to technology-intensive industries to achieve a high-income country
status, but a poorly educated workforce would also translate to lower food safety knowledge
(Ma, Chen, Yan, Wu, & Zhang, 2019) and food safety practices (Wang, Pacho, Liu, &
Kajungiro, 2019). Indirectly, this also brings about uneasiness amongst consumers with
regard to foreign workers.
Moreover, as some foreign workers are suspected to work under informal
arrangements with no proper documentation, it is highly likely that they will not have
access to proper healthcare and subjected to poverty (Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, 2020), which casts doubt about their overall hygiene. These negative
perceptions have been amplified with the high number of COVID-19 cases associated
with foreign workers. Previous studies found that most foreign workers will not go or are
unlikely to seek medical treatment in a clinic or hospital due to factors such as gender,
marital status, income, communication, and legality (Osman et al., 2020).
As the coronavirus is highly contagious, many members of the general public took
safety precautions to reduce the risk of infection by avoiding or shunning foreign workers
due to these perceived negativities. In addition, external factors, including social pressure,
further encourage this conforming behaviour (Tumin et al., 2020), which potentially leads
to more prejudice against foreign workers. The situation has led to the emergence of a
number of issues related to foreign worker dependency which are worth exploring.
The relationship between COVID-19 and foreign workers
Epidemics of infectious diseases have always been challenging, especially those on a global
scale, such as COVID-19. The coronavirus which was first detected in December 2019 in
Wuhan, China, has now spread to almost all countries around the world. As of 10 January
2021, 135,992 COVID-19 cases were recorded in Malaysia, including 551 deaths. Of this, at
least 55,750 cases involved foreign workers (43.2%) (Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2020), which
indicates that they are a high-risk group susceptible to the virus. Thousands have been easily
infected, and many more are vulnerable as carriers due their living and working conditions.
With the implementation of the first Movement Control Order (MCO) on 18
March 2020, non-essential sectors such as educational institutions, childcare centres, food
and beverage and hospitality were suspended. The MCO had a significant impact on
foreign workers despite their essential contribution to Malaysia’s economic development.
Unfair work terminations, pay reduction, pending salaries, compulsory leave, enforced
repatriation, bigotry, and xenophobia have adversely affected the community of foreign
workers (“Malaysia’s health chief ”, 2020). For instance, when the Enhanced Movement
Control Order (EMCO) was imposed on Petaling Jaya Old Town in Sections 2, 3 and 4
following the detection of 26 COVID-19 cases amongst traders and workers (Soo, 2020),
65The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
the district council initiated a crackdown against undocumented foreign workers and
refugees in this area (Perimbanayagam, 2020). In calling out the district council’s actions,
Petaling Jaya’s Member of Parliament (MP), Maria Chin Abdullah highlighted that the
hasty removal of foreign workers will only harm the local businesses in that area.
Given this background, it is critical to examine foreign worker dependency in the
context of the “new normal” of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspectives of street
food traders and foreign workers for better planning and management of foreign labour.
METHODOLOGY
This research aims to provide insights into foreign worker dependency in the street food
industry in terms of hiring intention which is shaped by attitude, subjective norms, and the
perceived behavioural control of traders. Subsequently, this paper aims to discover the depth
of COVID-19 impact on Petaling Jaya Old Town’s foreign workers. Using the descriptive
phenomenology design, the researcher focused on the individual’s lived experiences. A
qualitative approach using in-depth semi-structured interviews was employed to fulfil the
objectives of this study.
Study site and selection of participants
The researchers were keen on the study site, Petaling Jaya Old Town, which boasts a
distinctive gastronomic cuisine, attributed to generations of street food family businesses.
The street food traders here sell local cuisines, including Malay, Chinese and Indian food,
and employ foreign workers as helpers in their stalls. The traders were first approached to
determine their willingness to take part in the study. Table 1 presents the characteristics of
the street food traders who participated in the study.
Table 1. The characteristics of participants (street food traders)
Street food trader Age Gender Nationality Type of cuisine
1 52 Female Malaysian Malay Cuisine
2 55 Female Malaysian Indian Cuisine
3 48 Male Malaysian Chinese Cuisine
4 46 Female Malaysian Chinese Cuisine
5 65 Male Malaysian Chinese Cuisine
6 58 Male Malaysian Malay Cuisine
7 60 Male Malaysian Indian Cuisine
8 45 Female Malaysian Malay Cuisine
Table 2 presents the characteristics of street food workers who worked with the
participants.
Table 2. The characteristics of participants (street food workers)
Street food trader Age Gender Nationality
1 39 Male Filipino
2 33 Female Indonesian
3 40 Male Indonesian
4 38 Male Burmese
5 29 Female Filipino
66SEARCH 13(1), 2021
Research instrument and data collection
An in-depth interview is a valuable medium to derive rich information for an effective
comprehension of the topic studied (Adams & Cox, 2016). The researchers conducted
in-depth interviews with eight street food stall owners and five foreign workers from
Petaling Jaya Old Town over three months from October and December 2020 during
the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). The face-to-face interviews were
conducted with individual participants at their respective street food stalls. This method
provided convenience and flexibility to the participants who could run their food stall
simultaneously. The duration of each interview was between 15 and 20 minutes. Qualitatively,
the number of respondents is contingent upon saturation of information, thereby indicating
that respondents were revealing no new information beyond that obtained from previous
respondents (Saunders et al., 2018).
Data analysis
The interview transcripts were thematically analysed using NVivo version 12. Since the
qualitative data were texts transcribed verbatim from interviews, the cornerstone of the
analysis was the coding process (Dollah, Abduh, & Rosmaladewi, 2017). The coding of
data was done in three ways: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Repeated
readings of both transcripts and field notes helped refine the codes and themes. While
in quantitative research, interviewees’ emotions and perspectives are deemed unnecessary
(Levitt, Motulsky, Wertz, Morrow, & Ponterotto, 2017; Sutton & Austin, 2015), these
same elements are crucial in qualitative research as they enrich the findings by providing
additional dimensions and perspectives.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
In line with traditional qualitative research approaches, this study utilised unstructured
metrics to analyse the data obtained (Levitt et al., 2017), thus ensuring standardisation
and consistency. Subsequently, ten themes associated with the hiring of foreign workers
emerged from the data analysis.
Behavioural beliefs and attitude
Theme 1: Hiring capacity
The interviewed street food traders hired only a few foreign workers to assist in the day-
to-day operations. Significantly, many of the traders were already in their 50s and their
physical condition is no longer the same as when they first started their business decades
ago. Trader 6 (male) shared that he required two foreign workers to run his business. A
worker will act as a runner to take orders, and the other worker assisted in the cooking
process. Similarly, Trader 3 (male) stated that as his menu has limited items, he did not
require many workers to assist because his dishes can be easily prepared:
“I only need one worker since we are just selling a few noodle dishes in the store
like curry noodles and wonton noodles. We also cook in small quantities and
are just meant for daily orders.”
However, several street food stall traders highlighted that they did not hire foreign
workers to operate the stall on their own or become the primary cook. These traders
admitted that they take pride in preparing the dishes themselves as the business is their
families’ legacy, having served and supported them for many years. Trader 7 (male) shared:
67The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
“I am the main chef for the past 25 years since I opened my stall. As long as I
can walk, I will continue cooking. We only need one worker to help prepare the
vegetables since my wife can still help in the stall.”
Theme 2: Wages
A few of the interviewed traders confessed that they hired foreign employees to reduce
their costs to keep their prices competitive and to maintain their current pool of customers.
These foreigners will usually do heavy tasks but receive wages which are lower compared to
what locals would demand (Shamsuri, Alagappar, & Kumar, 2015; Mottain, 2020). Trader
4 (female) believed that the reduced wages actually benefit many parties:
“The locals will ask for RM2,500 at a minimum, and how can my small stall be
able to pay them? I would have to pass the cost to my customers, but times are
bad because of COVID-19 for everyone. With foreign workers, my food stall
can still open, these workers have their job to survive, and customers can buy
food at the same price.”
According to the traders, Malaysians shun jobs that involve heavy work or
dangerous elements due to the low wage. However, foreign workers do not resist the 3D
(dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs that locals usually ignore (Zaidon, 2020). Trader 5
(male) explained :
“They are strong physically, which helps with the heavy lifting. My worker
can easily carry two large bags of rice per trip. The market is next door to the
food court, so I rely on them to buy the daily ingredients, including meat and
vegetables. I used to follow them, but I am too old to carry the heavy load.”
In supporting the hiring of foreign workers, Trader 6 (male) had this to add :
“I admit it is more worth to pay these workers rather than the locals as the
value of work produced is not the same. The foreign workers will do based on
instruction without arguing too much.”
Theme 3: Skills
Malaysians, particularly those with intermediate or higher education, are no longer
attracted to the expanding service sectors to take up manual jobs (Shamsuri et al., 2015).
Their shift to professional and semi-skilled jobs, has resulted in a wide gap in low-skilled
jobs which foreign workers have filled. As Trader 1 (female) highlighted:
“They become my runners, sending the food to the table of the customers,
taking the money for the bill and giving the customers their needed change.
The workers help clean the plates from the table and wash them in the store.
The locals rather become doctors, lawyers and engineers. They will not take
these types of jobs.”
This finding indicates the preference for foreign workers over locals for low-skilled
jobs, as the former is more versatile at work. In this context, in-depth and functional
versatility refers to how workers perform multiple duties and assume various roles (Green,
Atfield, Staniewicz, Baldauf, & Adam, 2014). Trader 5 (male) conveyed:
68SEARCH 13(1), 2021
“For the braised chicken and steamed chicken, the workers help to measure and
prepare the ingredients. We will start early in the morning so that we will be
ready for the lunch crowd. I still cook the chicken myself, but I allow them to
cook the rice, sauce and soup of the day. The workers will also take the order,
communicate the order to me, serve the food to customers and then clear the
table. They have to wash many plates as chicken rice will use cutleries with
multiple plates and bowls to serve the chicken, rice, vegetables and soup. During
non-busy periods, they help me to clean up and also prepare pre-packaged
sauces for takeaway orders.”
There is a general perception that street food traders believe that foreign workers’
skills play a crucial part in their business’ success. In agreement with most of the traders,
Trader 8 (female) who owns a dessert stall in a food court, commented:
“The workers’ daily job is to clean the stall before the opening and after the
closing of the day. They help me check the stock of ice, fruits, and syrups. They
let me know which is running low. They will approach customers that just came
to the food court as we want to take their orders before the other stalls do so.
The workers will also help in making drinks and desserts, especially our stall’s
bestsellers, which are Ais Kacang and Cendol.”
Foreign workers bring with them different skills, experiences, and knowledge which
complement that of the local workforce. Trader 6 (male) described this:
“The workers can remember customers’ orders with ease. They are also good
at calculating the total bill of the customers without using a calculator. All the
calculations are done so quickly in their head.”
Trader 2 (female) highlighted that her workers were a source of technical support
during the COVID-19 pandemic:
“My foreign worker was the one who helped me with the setting up food
delivery apps for the store and altering the menu in the app. I am not very
good with these forms of technology as my age is catching up. I need apps
like FOODPANDA to boost sales because of the COVID-19 effect. Lesser
customers are walking into the food court already.”
Theme 4: Work ethics
When asked about work ethics, more than half of the traders agreed that the work ethics
of foreign workers are vastly different compared to local employees. Good work ethics are
especially important for employers who hire foreign workers for low-skilled, repetitive jobs
(Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2005). Trader 8 (female) admitted
that the foreign workers’ positive attitude and loyalty contributed to her hiring decision:
“My workers have been with me for years. They give me less headache compared
to when I tried to hire one local worker last time, and it was the final time for
me. I treat them with respect and do not mistreat them as some bosses may do.
With that, they work hard for me every day.”
69The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
Trader 4 (female) commended that she felt grateful for the workers of her fried rice stall:
“Their honesty and work attitude are commendable. I trust my workers enough for
them to handle the cash without overseeing them constantly. The workers do not
stand around doing nothing when business is slow but help as much as they can.”
This sentiment is shared by Trader 1 (female) who recounted her own experience:
“Punctual and reliable, they come early in the morning for preparation without
complaints. They are not lazy and are accommodating. The workers take their
work seriously because taking the wrong orders can mean angry customers that
are not happy with what they received in the end.”
The traders believed that working ethics comprises positive attitudes and soft skills,
including cooperating effectively and complying with instructions. Trader 5 (male) mentioned:
“Their attitude is good, pleasant and friendly with a great smile to the customers.
The workers can recognise regulars and can remember their favourite drinks.”
Thus, the politeness of workers when communicating with customers also appeals
to the traders. Trader 7 (male) had this to share:
“I like that they also speak nicely to the customers as many of them are senior
citizens. The workers will ask customers how they are with sincerity.”
Theme 5: Other issues
Several traders collectively agreed that hiring foreign workers is important for their business,
whereby good workers are an asset. These workers contribute significantly to their business
sales through their hard work. Trader 2 (female) mentioned that:
“No issues at all. I am lucky to have good workers with me that caused minimal
issues.”
Nonetheless, a few of the traders have experienced some undesirable effects of
hiring foreign workers who betrayed their employee’s trust for personal monetary gains.
Trader 7 (male) shared an incident:
“My previous worker ran away with cash from the sales of the day. I tried
finding her, but she disappeared. I should be more careful next time with them
handling the money.”
Incidents such as the above example can negatively affect the traders’ business when
there is a sudden loss of workforce and immediate replacement is not possible. Similarly,
Trader 6 (male) recalled a situation that he encountered:
“I had an incident with a worker years back where she ran away with another
foreign worker that she befriended from another stall. Both of them stopped
coming to work suddenly. I think she was just lonely since she did not see her
family for a long time.”
70SEARCH 13(1), 2021
Normative beliefs and subjective norms
Theme 6: Perceived social pressure
Low-to-medium skilled foreign workers in Southeast Asia often face prejudice on a daily
basis; this, unfortunately, escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic (Mottain, 2020).
According to the interviewed traders, customers were not too keen when they realised that
the street food stall workers were foreign workers. Trader 4 (female) related :
“Some of my customers are giving me feedback that they are afraid of being
served by my workers because of their belief that these workers can give them
the coronavirus. It is ridiculous for them to think that way. These foreign
workers had done nothing wrong at all. Why are they making a fuss on this?”
Taking into consideration that foreign workers are a high-risk group for COVID-19
transmission as highlighted by customers, Trader 3 (male) argued:
“Despite the negative perception by others about these workers, they
understand the importance of having proper hygiene, wearing masks properly
and practising social distancing together. My foreign workers help clean and
sanitise the tables. They know they are also the front liners to curb the virus.”
Foreign workers carried out their daily tasks despite the SOPs and restrictions as a
result of the pandemic. Trader 1 (female) reflected:
“They remind customers to scan their MySejahtera app whenever they are
taking orders from the customers’ tables or when customers come to the stall
to order. It helps to avoid the RM1,000 fine and for contact tracing in case of
any of COVID-19 cases.”
Many of these businesses have been in operation for decades with many of the
traders interviewed being second- or third-generation street food traders. Unfortunately,
the next generation is unwilling to carry on the family business and some have even advised
the owners to stop employing foreign workers. Trader 2 (female), however, disagreed:
“In the beginning, my children are not interested in helping in the stall as they
are already older and have their own lifestyle and plans. The foreign workers
are willing instead to help me, so I treat them like my family instead. How can
I just get rid of them? They are important to me.”
Theme 7: Perceived attributes of tasks
The street food sector involves hard work, versatility and physical strength in outdoor
conditions that can be extremely uncomfortable. Trader 5 (male) lamented about his
experience of hiring locals in the past:
“I tried hiring a local in the past. He went to the toilet after 30 minutes of work
during the busy lunch period, and we never saw his face again. So, I hired these
foreign workers as they will work with me at my stall for long hours on their
feet.”
Besides that, several traders also experienced local labour shortage to support their
71The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
food stalls. This viewpoint was shared by Trader 7 (male) who highlighted the negative
perception amongst locals for these types of jobs:
“The young people of the town do not view this job as a high-status job with any
possible career advancement. I had put out job advertisements, but no locals
came. Only the foreign workers will work with me because they want to earn a
living to send back money to their families in their home country.”
Controlling beliefs and perceived behavioural control
Theme 8: Business continuity
As the economy suffered from the halting of many economic sectors and loss of business income
and jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer expenditure fell as well. The pandemic not
only affected entrepreneurs as individuals but also their businesses (Ratten, 2020). There were
concerns amongst the traders about business continuity as shared by Trader 5 (male):
“Ever since the Movement Control Order (MCO) in March 2020, the business
has not been the same because of the fluctuation of COVID-19 cases and
changing dine-in policies. It affected my profits until I am dipping into my
savings to survive. I cannot afford to hire the locals here, and if this situation
does not improve, I might not even be able to pay my current foreign workers.”
Several traders also shared their opinions on the possibility of only allowing
Malaysians to fill in the vacancies in this demanding line of work as advocated by certain
parties in the media. Generally, the traders felt that the hiring of foreign workers is crucial
for the sustainability of their business. Trader 1 (female) reasoned :
“It will be difficult for me to consider hiring locals as I have to constantly put
in time and effort to train them for their work tasks. They are only working for
a short period until the COVID-19 cases stabilise and get a better job. My stall
cannot run without these foreign workers. If not, I might as well just close the
business.”
Additionally, Trader 4 (female) described the challenges of being an independent
business entrepreneur who is faced with limited financial options during the COVID-19
pandemic:
“I realised the difficulties of being responsible for my foreign workers during
this pandemic. My business is badly affected, but the government initiatives
such as targeted wage subsidies are mainly geared up for the locals and not for
the food and beverage sector for foreign workers.”
Impact of COVID-19 on street food foreign workers
Theme 9: Selective discrimination
Amidst its wide-ranging impacts and difficulties, the pandemic has put the spotlight on the
ongoing discrimination of foreign workers that the street food industry has dealt with for
years. The perception that foreign workers contributed to the spike of COVID-19 cases in
Petaling Jaya Old Town exacerbated the situation where workers at street food stalls were
further stigmatised or shunned by customers. Regarding this matter, Worker 2 (female)
stated dejectedly:
72SEARCH 13(1), 2021
“The same customers that used to chitchat with me will now ask me to leave
their table if I am too near. They would prefer to order from my lady boss
instead.”
Some of these customers’ actions which ostracised workers, further contributed to
a worsening of their mental health. Worker 5 (female) described some of these gestures:
“I am sad. Why do people see me like I am a dirty person? When I pass them
their change of money, they will wipe it down with wet wipes. They also looked
at me like I have done something wrong. I feel like an outcast seeing this often.”
Theme 10: Support system
Having born and raised in poverty, most foreign workers, have a strong willingness to learn
quickly and efficiently, and can endure long hours of work (Shamsuri et al., 2015). These
workers come to Malaysia to escape poverty and provide for their families because of the
difficulty of finding employment in their own country. Worker 1 (male) shared his feelings
of helplessness and challenges as a foreign worker:
“I came to Malaysia to support my wife and three children in the Philippines
four years ago. I could not find a job back home, and my children could not go
to school because I had no money. Working here, I can send money home, and
my family can live better lives.”
All the workers shared that they would send home a substantial amount of their pay,
leaving very little to sustain themselves. When lockdowns were implemented in their own
country and Malaysia, foreign workers were left to fend for themselves, having received
no or little assistance from their embassies or agents. Pouring out his struggles, Worker 3
(male) shared:
“Business at the stall went down during the first lockdown. My boss had a
difficult time to provide us with wages in full. I could not ask for money from
my family because they were suffering at home, and I could not send my money
to them to help. I have no savings here. I could do nothing for my family for
many months.”
However, some traders were kind enough to assist their workers by providing them
with advances in salaries despite being affected themselves. Worker 2 (female) and Worker
4 (male) experienced kindness from their employers who insisted on providing essential
personal protective equipment such as hand sanitisers and face masks to them. This gesture
was crucial as they could not afford the protective equipment, especially during the first
round of lockdown, when demand exceeded supplies.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this study can be a comprehensible reference and guide on foreign workers
as a sustainable human capital in the street food industry. In light of the study’s findings,
relevant stakeholders should consider how the current mainstream perspectives on the
hiring of foreign workers are shaped with the help of the theory of planned behaviour.
73The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
This model is relevant and suited the study’s design because it predicts and explains a
person’s behaviour. Based on the findings of the interviewed traders’ views and attitude,
their behavioural intention is consistent with their action of hiring foreign workers.
Petaling Jaya Old Town is a suitable site for gastronomic tourism for local and
international visitors because of its rich culinary heritage. With the help of an effective
growth plan, gastronomic tourism can be a vehicle for the town’s economic development,
as a part of its revival.
To reduce foreign worker dependency, policymakers can use these results to devise
effective labour migration policies, with input from relevant authorities. The sustainability
of small businesses such as street food depends heavily on its workers’ willingness to perform
menial but essential job tasks. However, due to the increasing concern over foreign workers
and higher unemployment rates anticipated as a result of the pandemic, the government
is under pressure to create jobs for the locals. It may also be necessary for the government
to restrict the number of work visas and introduce additional levies to raise the cost of
recruiting foreign workers and indirectly, reduce the overreliance of foreign labour.
With the current crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial not
to discriminate foreign workers as advocated by Malaysia’s Director-General of Health,
Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. According to him, as foreign workers lack social
networks and are at the centre of deprivation, they should not be discriminated in terms of
healthcare. He further added that the virus knows no limits and favours no race or social
class, and thus, the government and communities must collaborate in reining in the virus
outbreak (“Malaysia’s health chief ”, 2020).
Study limitations and future research
The selection of the study’s participants, Petaling Jaya Old Town’s street food traders and
workers, was on a voluntary basis and based on their ability to share their perceptions and
attitudes. Data collection was tedious due to the Conditional Movement Control Order
(CMCO) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, effective 14 October 2020. Further,
due to the ongoing pandemic, many of those approached were reluctant, further narrowing
down the pool of potential participants.
For future research, the present study’s scope can be extended to include street food
traders in other regions, such as Penang and Malacca, with the addition of other attributes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We extend our appreciation to the street food sellers and workers of Petaling Old Town Jaya
who assisted this research for their active participation. We are also grateful to colleagues
who provided their input, experience and advice for this research.
Open Access: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License (CC-BY 4.0) which permits any use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided
the original author(s) and the source are credited.
References
Abd Rahim, S. A., Nawawi, A., & Puteh Salin, A. S. A. (2017). Internal control weaknesses in a
cooperative body: Malaysian experience. International Journal of Management Practice, 10(2),
131–151.
74SEARCH 13(1), 2021
Adams, A., & Cox, A. L. (2016). Questionnaires, in-depth interviews and focus groups. In P. Cairns &
A. L. Cox (Eds.), Research methods for human computer interaction (pp. 17-34). Cambridge, UK:
Cambridge University Press
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision
Processes, 50, 179–211.
Ang, J. W., Murugasu, A., & Wei, C. Y. (2018). Low-skilled foreign workers’ distortions to the
economy. Retrieved from https://www.bnm.gov.my/documents/20124/826852/AR+BA3+-+Lo
w+killed+Foreign+Workers+Distortions+to+the+Economy.pdf/ad7e4e55-eb36-c98b-48b8-
239aebc97a37?t=1585030076932
Arifin, Z. (2020, Dec 28). Treat our guest workers better. New Strait Times. Retrieved from https://
www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2020/12/652574/treat-our-guest-workers-better
Bukharov, I., & Berezka, S. (2018). The role of tourist gastronomy experiences in regional tourism in
Russia. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 10(4), 449–457.
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. (2005). Quarterly labour market outlook. London,
UK: CIPD.
Chong, K. Y., & Chiam, C. S. (2018, Jan 10). Licence revoked for hawkers with foreign cooks in
Penang. The Star. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/01/10/no-
to-foreign-cooks-at-hawker-centres/
Dawson, C., Veliziotis, M., & Hopkins, B. (2018). Understanding the perception of the ‘Migrant
Work Ethic.’ Work, Employment and Society, 32(5), 811–830.
Dollah, S., Abduh, A., & Rosmaladewi, M. (2017). Benefits and drawbacks of NVivo QSR
application. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Education, Science, and
Technology (ICEST 2017), 61-63.
Ellis, A., Park, E., Kim, S., & Yeoman, I. (2018). What is food tourism? Tourism Management,
68(March), 250–263.
Farashah, A. D., & Blomquist, T. (2019). Exploring employer attitude towards migrant workers:
Evidence from managers across Europe. Evidence-Based HRM, 8(1), 18–37.
Green, A., Atfield, G., Staniewicz, T., Baldauf, B., & Adam, D. (2014). Determinants of the composition
of the workforce in low skilled sectors of the UK economy: Social care and retail sectors. Retrieved
from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263734677_DETERMINANTS_OF_THE_
COMPOSITION_OF_THE_WORKFORCE_IN_LOW_SKILLED_SECTORS_OF_THE_UK_
ECONOMY_SOCIAL_CARE_AND_RETAIL_SECTORS
Henderson, J. (2017). Street food, hawkers and the Michelin Guide in Singapore. British Food Journal,
119(4), 790–802.
Jasper, C. R., & Waldhart, P. (2013). Employer attitudes on hiring employees with disabilities in the
leisure and hospitality industry: Practical and theoretical implications. International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality Management, 25(4), 577–594.
Kamel, H. (2020, July 23). Only higher wages can induce locals to do 3D jobs. The Malaysian Reserve.
Retrieved from https://themalaysianreserve.com/2020/07/23/only-higher-wages-can-induce-locals-
to-do-3d-jobs/#:~:text=EMPLOYERS%20may%20have%20no%20choice,been%20vacated%20
by%20foreign%20workers.
Kumar, K. (2016, Feb 17). Malaysians shun ‘3D’ jobs because of social stigma, not low wages,
employers say. The Malay Mail. Retrieved from https://www.malaymail.com/news/
malaysia/2016/02/17/malaysians-shun-3d-jobs-because-of-social-stigma-not-low-wages-
employers-sa/1062173
Leong, T. (2018, March 18). Malaysian eateries close as foreign labour crunch bites. The Strait Times.
Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.com/world/malaysian-eateries-close-as-foreign-labour-
crunch-bites
Levitt, H. M., Motulsky, S. L., Wertz, F. J., Morrow, S. L., & Ponterotto, J. G. (2017).
Recommendations for designing and reviewing qualitative research in psychology. Qualitative
Psychology, 4(1), 2–22.
Ling, T. P., Noor, S. M., Mustafa, H., & Kiumarsi, S. (2019). Mindfulness: Exploring visitor and
communication factors at Penang heritage sites. SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication
Research, 11(1), 137–152.
Ma, L., Chen, H., Yan, H., Wu, L., & Zhang, W. (2019). Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and
behavior of street food vendors and consumers in Handan, a third tier city in China. BMC Public
Health, 19(1), 1–13.
75The perspectives of street food traders on foreign worker
dependency during the COVID-19 pandemic
Malaysia to lift limit on hiring of foreign labour. (2020). Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.
com/article/us-malaysia-politics-labour-idUSKCN25A0DA
Malaysia’s health chief warns against discrimination of migrant workers amid coronavirus outbreak
at detention centres . (2020, May 25). The Strait Times. Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.
com/asia/se-asia/coronavirus-breaks-out-at-detention-centres-in-malaysia-health-ministry-warns-
against
Ministry of Health Malaysia. (2020). COVID-19 Malaysia. Retrieved from http://covid-19.moh.gov.my/
Mottain, M. (2020, Sept 26). Long-term solutions needed for foreign labour. The Star. Retrieved from
https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2020/09/26/long-term-solutions-needed-for-
foreign-labour
Osman, A. F., Abdul Mutalib, M., Tafran, K., Tumin, M., & Chong, C. S. (2020). Demographic and
socioeconomic variables associated with health care–seeking behavior among foreign workers in
Malaysia. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 32(1), 42–48.
Perimbanayagam, K. (2020, May 20). PJ MP slams govt round up of illegal immigrants in PJ Old
Town. New Strait Times. Retrieved from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/05/594141/pj-
mp-slams-govt-round-illegal-immigrants-pj-old-town
Periyayya, T., Nair, G. V., Shariff, R., Roland, Z., & Thanaseelan. (2016). Young adult Malaysian
consumers’ attitude and purchase intentions of CSR supported grocery brands. SEARCH: The
Journal of the South East Asia Research Centre for Communications and Humanities, 8(1), 56–77.
Pillai, V. (2018, Aug 22). ‘Foreign cooks’ solution doesn’t fix labour problem, say restaurateurs. Free
Malaysia Today. Retrieved from https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/08/22/
foreign-cooks-solution-doesnt-fix-labour-problem-say-restaurateurs/
Puteh, F., Ishak, M. N., Sheikh, S. S. S., & Anwar, M. A. (2011). Employers dependency on foreign
workers in Malaysia food service industry : A preliminary study. 2011 International Symposium
on Business , Engineering and Industrial Applications, 368–372.
Putul, S. J., & Mia, T. (2018). Exploitation of migrant workers in Malaysia and protection under
domestic laws. Proceedings of the International Law Conference - Volume 1, 125–131.
Ratten, V. (2020). Coronavirus (Covid-19) and entrepreneurship: Cultural, lifestyle and societal
changes. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, [Ahead of print].
Saunders, B., Sim, J., Kingstone, T., Baker, S., Waterfield, J., Bartlam, B., …Jinks, C. (2018).
Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization. Quality
and Quantity, 52(4), 1893–1907.
Shamsuri, A. L. S., Alagappar, P. N., & Kumar, D. (2015). The boat is rocked – Employees’ grumbles:
a decision dilemma. Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, 5(7), 1–19.
Soo, W. J. (2020, May 14). Workers come, workers go: PJ senior citizens dispel myth Old Town
overrun by migrants. Malay Mail. Retrieved from https://www.malaymail.com/news/
malaysia/2020/05/14/workers-come-workers-go-pj-senior-citizens-dispel-myth-old-town-overrun-
by/1865909
Sri Priya, S. (2017, Jun 20). City’s old timers reflect on Old Town’s history and growth. Retrieved from
https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/06/20/once-upon-a-time-in-petaling-jaya-
citys-oldtimers-reflect-on-old-towns-history-and-growth
Sutton, J., & Austin, Z. (2015). Qualitative research: Data collection, analysis, and management.
Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 68(3), 226–231.
Tumin, S. A., Ramasamy, R., Newaz, F. T., Noh, I., & Abdul Latip, M. S. (2020). How do food safety
knowledge and trust affect individual’s green considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic in
Malaysia? Malaysian Journal of Consumer and Family Economics, 24, 261–285.
United Nations. (1990). International convention on the protection of the rights of all
migrant workers and members of their families. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/
professionalinterest/pages/cmw.aspx
Wang, X., Pacho, F., Liu, J., & Kajungiro, R. (2019). Factors influencing organic food purchase
intention in Tanzania and Kenya and the moderating role of knowledge. Sustainability, 11(1),
209.
World Bank. (2019). Malaysia - Estimating the number of foreign workers: A report from the labor
market data for monetary policy task. Washington D.C.: The World Bank.
Wright, C. F., & Clibborn, S. (2019). Migrant labour and low-quality work: A persistent relationship.
Journal of Industrial Relations, 61(2), 157–175.
76SEARCH 13(1), 2021
Yong, R. Y. M., Abdul Latip, M. S., Ahmad Jailani, A. J., Muhamad Amin, S. F., & Abdul Kadir,
M. A. (2020). Service quality , satisfaction and destination loyalty of gastronomic tourist : A
case study of street food stalls in George Town , Penang. City University EJournal of Academic
Research (CUeJar), 2(1), 125–140.
Zaidon, S. (2020, July 5). Foreign workers in PJ market ponder their fate in Malaysia. Malay Mail.
Retrieved from https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/07/05/foreign-workers-in-pj-
market-ponder-their-fate-in-malaysia/1881589
Rachel Yong Yuen May
is a postgraduate student at the Faculty of Business and Technology, UNITAR
International University. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in hospitality
management, and her research interests include gastronomic tourism and consumer
behaviour.
Muhammad Safuan Abdul Latip
is a lecturer of Culinary Arts and Gastronomy at the Faculty of Hotel and Tourism
Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Terengganu, Dungun. His
research interests include food culture, food preferences, green marketing, consumer
marketing, higher education and topics related to marketing strategic communication.
77You can also read
