ALOR STAR: Several jobseekers took to the social media to express their disappointment over a Job Fair that charged attendees multiple fees to process their application.
They claimed that they had to pay RM10 for each application form and extra RM50 for coaching classes to prepare their resume, interview and for mailing their application to companies which were hiring.
One of them highlighted that they had to queue up for two hours outside a hotel in Jalan Anak Bukit to get the form before they were directed to a second room for an interview.
However, the interview was carried out by staff from the company organising the fair and not from the companies which were hiring.
Aizat Abdullah said attendees had to pay RM10 for each job application form and another RM50 to join a seminar on how to prepare a resume and how to attend an interview.
He also claimed that most of the participating companies were there not to recruit, but to sell their products.
His posting which was put up about 5pm on Saturday was shared more than 600 times and received many comments from netizens who were angry with the job fair organiser.
He also wrote that checks at the organiser's Facebook page showed that it has been closed.
Aimi Shahira wrote that some jobseekers came from as far as Penang, as the organiser had advertised the event across the northern region.
She said they felt cheated since they needed to pay fee for processing their application.
It was learnt that the two-day event which began on Saturday allegedly offered 500 jobs for youth in the northern states.
Meanwhile, check at the hotel today showed that the number of jobseekers was less than yesterday.
A spokesman from the company organising the event said that they did not force the jobseekers to pay the fee.
He however explained that the fee was for processing the application and for postage.
The state Science, Innovation and Information Communications Technology Committee chairman Datuk Norsabrina Mohd Noor, who was shocked by the incident, said she has yet to receive full report on it.
She also denied that the state government was involvement in the event and that it was organised by a private company.
“I heard complaints from those who attended the fair (regarding fees) that they needed to pay. We regret (that this) happened, and hope the organiser will be more sensitive over the matter,” she said in a statement.