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?
Making the announcement, Home Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid said the agreement
was reached with Pakistan yesterday. </p>
<p>Under the arrangement, the Pakistanis can be employed in all sectors, including
deep-sea fishing.
<p>Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, during his visit to Islamabad
last month, had announced that Malaysia would accept Pakistan as a source country
for labour. </p>
<p>Azmi said the recruitment would take place soon, adding that the hiring would
be handled by a special agency in Pakistan. </p>
<p>The government’s move was in response to complaints by employers that they
were not getting back their former Indonesian illegal workers who had returned
to their homeland under the recent amnesty programme. </p>
<p>According to reports, the return of thousands of Indonesians to Malaysia as
legal workers has been hampered by administrative and other problems. </p>
<p>Azmi said Pakistan had extensive experience in providing workers to foreign
countries and managing them abroad, adding that a government agency, the Overseas
Employment Corporation (OEC), had been set up to monitor the workers. </p>
<p>"We have asked Pakistan to compile a list of suitable workers for all
sectors in Malaysia. </p>
<p>"The OEC has a complete database on new workers entering the job market
as well as workers returning from overseas," he said. </p>
<p>Azmi, who received Pakistani High Commissioner to Malaysia Talat Munir at his
office in Putrajaya yesterday, said the ministry would now look into ways to
help employers hire the Pakistani workers. </p>
<p>He also said the ministry was now organising and managing its foreign worker
intake in a more systematic manner. </p>
<p>"We will also be more careful when hiring foreign workers because the
‘free-for-all’ system that was in place previously is not suitable for the country.
</p>
<p>"From previous experience, we have found that many employers who brought
in foreign workers were not responsible and did not care for the well-being
of their workers," he said. </p>
<p>Asked by The Star whether the Government would also be looking to other countries
like China, Vietnam, Myanmar and India for workers, Azmi said this was not the
case. </p>
<p>"No. Not now. Pakistan is the focus for now," he said.
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