2km-long queue of jobseekers endure hot sun at M'sia recruitment drive with starting pays of S$1,100

Over 1,000 jobseekers spent hours queueing in the sun for a recruitment drive organised by a semiconductor manufacturer in Melaka.

A video on social media showed an extremely long queue, apparently winding across roads and pavements.

The chief minister of Melaka, Ab Rauf Yusoh, stated in a Facebook post that the queue extended to around 2km.

Interviews were being held for between 300 and 500 job vacancies including operator and technician roles, with starting salaries of RM3,500 (S$1,108), reported New Straits Times.

The company, Infineon, had initially only expected around a hundred applicants.

According to Sinchew, some applicants arrived to queue as early as 6am.

Food and bottled water were offered to those queueing in the heat.

He added that the large number of applicants does not reflect the state's unemployment level.

Melaka's unemployment rate is among the lowest in the country at around 2 per cent, he clarified.

“It is natural to expect large numbers of jobseekers when a company offers competitive salaries. This also shows that Melaka’s strong economy has made the state a destination for job seekers,” Sinar Harian reported him saying.