GEORGE TOWN, MALAYSIA - Many companies in Penang are offering jobs to workers being laid off by Japanese wireless toy manufacturing company Nikko Electronics Bhd which closed its Prai factory on Monday, said investPenang executive committee chairman Datuk Lee Kah Choon.

Lee said in a press release yesterday that Canon, Dart Garment, Langes Resources, Sony Electronics, Intel Malaysia and Motorola approached investPenang and the Labour Department to offer jobs to the affected workers.

He said Intel Malaysia had vacancies for technicians and would hold a walk-in interview on Saturday at the Sunway Hotel in Seberang Jaya from 9am to 4pm, while Motorola was looking for engineers but would also encourage its electronic manufacturing services providers (EMS) and vendors to provide employment to affected workers at the production and technician level.

He also said a recruitment agency on the island had also approached investPenang to offer placement of workers at various levels among its clients.

?Of the 1,000 affected workers, only about one-third had registered with the Labour Department, while more are expected to register by the end of the day,? said Lee, adding that those who had not registered with the department were advised to do so immediately.

He said other companies that wished to employ those from the company could contact the department in Butterworth.

?Nikko Electronics is 99% owned by Malaysian individuals and companies as per the records of Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) as at April 30. Nikko has only 1% Japanese equity,? he added.

Lee also announced that investPenang?s chief operating officer (COO) Datuk B.J. Yeang and chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Md Aris Ariffin would both be leaving at the end of August.

?A new position of general manager will be created and the post is being advertised to ensure that the best candidate is chosen,? he said, adding that the restructuring exercise was approved by the board at its meeting on June 26.