KUCHING – Sarawak will once again allow the recruitment of foreign workers from January 1, state Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said.
The decision was made in the hopes of reducing the number of illegal foreign workers sneaking into the state via rat trails, besides also meeting the state’s economic needs, he said.
“By allowing foreign workers to be hired again, we hope cases of workers being smuggled into Sarawak via rat trails can be reduced,” he told reporters at the committee’s daily Covid-19 press conference here today.
Uggah said employers who want to bring in foreign workers are required to make arrangements at the state's entry points for them to be transported to quarantine centres, adding that all costs, including the 14-day quarantine fees and Covid-19 screening, will be borne by the employers.
“The foreign workers must also have a valid working permit to enter the state. There is no need for them to do the Covid-19 test at their country of origin because when they arrive at the entry point, the employer has the responsibility to transport them from that point to the quarantine centre,” he said.
Uggah, who is also Sarawak deputy chief minister, said there is no limit to the number of foreign workers allowed to work in the state as some industrial sectors in Sarawak are still short of workers.
“With Covid-19 cases in the state flattening, we have to (strike a) balance between economic requirements and public health,” he said.
He said the committee will continue to monitor the impact of the decision on public health and take appropriate measures when required.
“We are observing the situation. If there is an indication that this programme (permission for foreign workers to enter Sarawak) leads to an increase in (Covid-19) cases, then we will take necessary action.” – Bernama, December 23, 2020
