PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - Her company has cut overtime but Lee, a single mother, can't complain. The last thing she wants is to lose her job.

The 37-year-old line operator in an electronics component factory in Malacca, who has two teenage boys to bring up, is trying her best to cope with the reduced take-home pay.

Things are a far cry from earlier this year when the factory had 'forced' its workers to do overtime when it operated on a 24-hour basis to meet export orders. In fact, staff who did not want to do overtime were 'penalised' with no increment.

Lee said the effects of the global economic crunch have been felt since April and an indication was when the factory did not confirm new staff.

'Those who are not happy can leave. The new staff who stay on will not be paid bonuses like the other staff,' said Lee who used to earn over RM1,000 including overtime. Now, she takes home RM700.

Workers in other factories are also in the same predicament. They are forced to go on leave as factories shut down during the festive season. Those who have used up their leave are forced to take unpaid leave, further reducing their take home salaries.

For Y.C. Ng, a 27-year-old part-time contributor for a local Chinese daily in Malacca, there is little expectation of landing a permanent job in these trying times. In fact, she is now paid less per character and for photos taken (slashed from RM8 to RM2 for each published one).

The IT graduate said the management had confirmed that it would not be hiring.

'Two employees have resigned but the company has not recruited replacements,' said Ng who is thinking of selling handicraft to earn extra money.

W.C. Yeoh, who works in the semiconductor industry, said 'the whole industry is suffering, and that of course includes the company I work for.'