A customer picking up food delivered to him by a robot at a restaurant in Bukit Jambul, Bayan Lepas, Penang. – MASRY CHE ANI/THESUNWhile the temporary freeze on applications to hire foreign workers will be lifted starting today as announced by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan on Tuesday, the effect of the earlier decision has found an uncanny solution in the form of robot waiters in restaurants.
However, it arranges an instalment scheme where its customers just pay RM1,812 a month for 17 months to own an ISR. “In a single trip, our robots can serve up to four tables or destination points with four trays of heavy plates, while a human waiter can carry only one. “The problem cannot be solved even after the Human Resources Ministry lifted the ban on hiring foreign workers because jobs as waiters have little career advancement.Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association president J. Suresh concurred with Fadzil’s assessment and said ISRs have helped reduce overhead costs by about 15% due to the need for fewer workers.
Suresh said while each robot costs over RM1,000 a month in instalments, depending on the company the ISRs are purchased from, maintenance is low as it utilises modern technology, which is among the reasons for operators opting to continue using them.“In the next three to five years, we may see these robots in greater use. In time, technological advancements will see newer and more advanced robots working in our restaurants,” he said.