KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — The compliance level among employers who hire foreign workers in Malaysia concerning their welfare and interests is still unsatisfactory, with the service sector recording the highest number of law violations.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail urged employers to pay attention to the legal aspects of accommodation, working hours, and wages of their foreign workers.
“Failure to do so may cause the regulatory agency to carry out an investigation, and if it is related to the violation of certain sections and laws, it may lead to investigation papers being opened and ending up in court,” he said.
Saifuddin was speaking after the ninth joint committee meeting between the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Human Resources on the Management of Foreign Workers today. Also present was Human Resource Minister V. Sivakumar.
The service sector includes restaurants, laundry and cleaning, wholesale and retail businesses, laundries, hotels, resorts, spas, cargo (handlers), ports (dockworkers), airports, and the scrapyard (second-hand goods) business.
Saifuddin said the compliance level of employers hiring foreign workers is monitored by the inspectorate following the government’s move to implement a relaxation plan and recalibration policy at the beginning of this year to make it easier for employers to hire foreign workers.
He said the four other sectors that were also inspected include construction, agriculture, plantation, and manufacturing.
The number of foreign workers given Temporary Work Visit Passes (PLKS) is currently reaching 1.7 million and is deemed sufficient.
There are recruitment quotas which have been approved, but foreign workers have not yet been brought in, and this is in line with the policy set by the Ministry of Economy to ensure the number of foreign workers in Malaysia cannot exceed 2.4 million by 2025.
“After this, the government will only monitor the quotas that have been approved, and there will be no more application for new quotas,” Saifuddin said.
Another paper deliberated at the meeting today was on the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture’s application to open the quota for a foreign worker sub-sector for theme parks to meet the needs of 78 theme parks nationwide.
— Bernama
