More Than a Million Kelantanese Working Outside The State

KOTA BHARU: The number of Kelantanese working outside the state is equivalent to the estimated population residing in the state, says Kelantan Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin.

He said that the state has lost one generation of working adults who have been forced to seek fortunes elsewhere, given that Kelantan’s economy has been in the doldrums since 1990.

The latest census puts Kelantan’s population base at an estimated 1.5 million, excluding non-resident migrant workers. “There is nothing political about it. These are economic facts.

A large population base with limited job prospects will result in a strong outbound migration. We have to accept it,” Dr Awang Adek said after closing a seminar on the origins of “Peranakan Cina Kelantan” at Hotel Perdana here.

The seminar was organised by the state tourism action council to help foster greater understanding about the Kelantan-born Chinese.