KUALA LUMPUR – There are “mediators” who circumvent government systems built to oversee and handle foreign workers, said the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today.
The systems mentioned in the PAC statement are the Human Resources Ministry’s Integrated Foreign Workers Management System (ePPAx) and Home Ministry’s MyIMMs database.
“PAC also noted that some allegedly stolen user IDs have been misappropriated to create fake quotas in MyIMMs.
“It shows an obvious flaw in the security system of a ministry in charge of the country’s safety. A total of 20 police reports have been lodged since 2017, but investigations are still pending.”
It said the systems are inefficient in terms of integration, in that they do not allow the complete sharing of related data and documents between the two.
The committee also discovered that high approvals were given to “special applications” compared to normal ones, which is “unhealthy”.
“Some of these special applications involve approvals for foreign worker quota in frozen sub-sectors (sectors exclusively for Malaysians). This affects locals’ employability.”
These systems’ weaknesses have resulted in permits being issued to those who fail the mandatory Foreign Workers’ Medical Examination (Fomema).
“No records have been saved on foreign workers who were deported after they failed Fomema. This can risk the spread of infectious diseases to locals,” said PAC.
“PAC also saw the need for the welfare of detainees and staff at immigration depots to be prioritised, and the need for the said depots to be upgraded.”
Recommendations
The committee has nine recommendations for the Human Resources and Home Ministries.
They are:
1. For the two ministries to create an integrated system to manage and control the intake of foreign workers, to ensure inter-ministry data continuity.
2. For the two ministries to ensure that all applications for foreign workers are done only through normal applications. Special approvals should be given only based on appeals with merit, or special national projects. The Home Ministry cannot interpret any application sent to the minister without going through any form of an appeals system.
3. For the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the role of “mediators” in the foreign worker application systems.
4. There must not be exceptions given to foreign worker intake in frozen sub-sectors.
5. For police to hasten their investigations into claims of stolen and misappropriated user IDs in MyIMMs.
6. For employers to ensure their potential foreign workers undergo Fomema within 30 days from the date of their arrival. The Immigration Department must be strict on this matter, and action taken against errant employers.
7. For upgrading works that were approved in the 11th Malaysia Plan and Rolling Plan 4 to be continued in the 12th Malaysia Plan. Adequate funding must be allocated for welfare and medical costs, as requested by the Immigration Department.
8. For the Immigration Department to continue with its “Alternative to Detention” for children without guardians, and those separated from their parents and held in detention centres.
9. For the Home Ministry to renegotiate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to settle the registration status of refugees detained at depots across the country. The ministry must also work with the National Security Council to create a special unit to formulate standard operating procedures to handle the entry of refugees in the country.
PAC’s proceedings on the matter were initiated on October 10 last year, in reference to the National Audit Report 2018 Series 1, which was tabled in Parliament on July 15 and highlighted the inefficiencies and disorganisation of Malaysia’s handling of foreign workers.
Three senior government officers were called during the proceeding – Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim, Human Resources Ministry secretary-general Datuk Amir Omar and Immigration Director-General Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud. – The Vibes, November 24, 2020
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