Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Beh Lih Yi
The home ministry will monitor the process of hiring foreign workers to ensure that middlemen do not exploit the latest government policy on foreign workers to make money, its minister Azmi Khalid said today.
On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced that employers can now hire foreign workers from non-traditional countries like Nepal, Burma and India to work in any sector.
Azmi told reporters at Parliament lobby today that the policy will take effect immediately, adding that “it is a good move because it allows employers to decide”.
“Now the big problem I’m facing is that there are agents who take a lot of money from the workers in some countries to bring them here,” he said.
He said it was not healthy for middleman to work in cohort with employers to bring in workers from a certain country only just because there is money to be made for doing so.
Employers, the minister emphasised, should only take in workers based on their capability and suitability for the job and not because they come from a country
where they (employers) can make money.
The new government ruling was to overcome the acute shortage of manpower affecting several industries. Previously, the workers were restricted to particular sectors, depending on their country of origin.
Gender discrimination claim
Meanwhile, Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn told Parliament today that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) did not discriminate against its female cabin crew.
Replying to a query from Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh), he explained the provisions in the collective agreement (CA) between MAS and its employees union did not contradict any laws.
On the provision that female cabin crew are not permitted to be pregnant during the first five years of service, the minister said it was agreed between the two parties in the CA and MAS has the rights to impose the condition.
On the early retirement age for female crew, Fong noted that they are given a special gratuity for the early retirement age.
“Since the CA is signed voluntary by both parties, the ministry is of the view that those conditions are fair and do not contain gender discrimination,” he told the House.
Source: Malaysiakini
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