KUALA LUMPUR – Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar warned employers against taking advantage of the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan, following numerous reports of employers firing local workers and using the plan to hire migrant ones.
He cited a recent case in Penang, where 102 local employees were laid off and replaced with migrant workers.
“I remind employers not to use the plan for such actions, as the quota approval for the employment of foreign workers is to meet the needs of critical sectors,” he said at a press conference in Parliament today.
Employers who do this will be considered to have breached Section 60M of the Employment Act 1955, and could be subject to a fine of RM50,000 and have their approved quota of migrant workers revoked.
He said there are similar cases to the one in Penang in other states, and investigations are ongoing.
Sivakumar, however, mentioned another incident where over 100 workers from Bangladesh were left stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Their local employers gave excuses such as not being “ready” to accept the workers, while some simply denied making applications.
The incident occurred twice, with around 25 workers stranded the first time, and 92 the second, according to Sivakumar. The stranded workers will be placed in companies that need additional hires.
Sivakumar said the employers’ behaviour showed their irresponsibility and reflected poorly on Malaysia’s image.
Malaysia’s image also suffered, he added, in cases involving employers who mistreat migrant domestic workers and makes Putrajaya’s negotiations with source countries difficult.
On the hiring of migrant workers, Sivakumar said he had a meeting with representatives of the Private Employment Agency (APS) on how it can work with the government to reduce high employment costs of migrant labour.
“I believe APS will provide full support to the government’s determination and efforts to reduce employers’ burden to hire migrant workers.
“The process of hiring foreign employees has greatly affected the nation’s reputation, especially with regards to debt slavery and forced labour," he added. – The Vibes, March 2, 2023
