[UPDATED] Indonesia lifts temporary freeze on sending workers to M’sia from Monday

KUALA LUMPUR – Indonesia has lifted the temporary freeze on sending its citizens to work in Malaysia effective August 1.

Malaysia Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said the two countries will also integrate the existing domestic worker intake between the Immigration Department in Malaysia and the Indonesian embassy here.

Saravanan added that in a statement that the integrated system will be ready in three weeks under the purview of the Malaysia-Indonesia Joint Working Group while a pilot project will be conducted in three months.

Meanwhile, he said employers with approved quotas from his ministry need to quickly pay levies to the Immigration Department while those who want to recruit Indonesia workers can start next Monday.

On July 19, the minister said the temporary freezing of Indonesian workers’ recruitment beginning July 12 was only a misunderstanding between the two nations, as the neighbouring country had difficulty monitoring its citizens when the intakes were done through the Maid Online System.

Other Malaysian industries, including construction and manufacturing, also rely on migrant workers from across Asia, and suffered as a result of lengthy pandemic border closures.

While authorities ended a freeze on hiring foreigners in February, labourers have been slow to return because of red tape and difficult negotiations with countries of origin.

Problems in the plantation sector have been particularly acute, however, and look set to get worse after Indonesia banned sending new workers to Malaysia earlier this month.

Hermono – Indonesia’s ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, who goes by one name – said Jakarta took the decision as Malaysia was not abiding by an agreement aimed at protecting his compatriots.

The Malaysian estate owners’ association says there is currently a shortage of about 120,000 workers. – The Vibes, July 28, 2022