MTEM raises questions on 25 Bangladeshi recruitment agencies

The Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) has raised the issue of national security and threats to the country's sovereignty, echoing calls for a probe into the recruitment process of workers from Bangladesh.

Specifically, MTEM fellow Ahmad Yazid Othman said there were questions that must be answered over Malaysia's decision only to allow the involvement of 25 Bangladeshi recruitment agencies in sending workers here.

"What are the selection criteria for these 25 companies chosen to send and manage migrant workers from Bangladesh?

"Has the (Human Resources) Ministry obtained feedback from Interpol or relevant agencies on whether the 25 companies' shareholders were involved with human trafficking?" he said in a statement yesterday.

Ahmad Yazid questioned if the ministry prioritised entries from Bangladesh over managing the local labour force at a time when the country is faced with living cost issues and limited job opportunities.

"Is there a limit of 25 agencies for other (migrant workers) source countries? Why only 25 agencies for Bangladesh?" he asked.

Ahmad Yazid urged the government and authorities, including MACC, to probe Bestinet - the IT solutions provider supplying the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) - as well as Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd, a company at the heart of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's corruption trial involving the former foreign visa service.

Earlier this month, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim first made the call for a probe of the two companies implicated in a labour recruitment scandal.

Bangladesh media had previously exposed that the list of 25 selected agencies included three companies owned by sitting Bangladesh MPs and another run by the wife of a federal minister.

Amid pressure from labour industry players for the market to be opened to all registered recruitment agencies in Bangladesh, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan defended Malaysia's right to make the final decision and that the limit of 25 agencies and 250 sub-agents was imposed to prevent an uncontrollable influx of workers entry.

Saravanan had also denied allegations by labour industry players that Bangladesh-born Bestinet founder Mohd Amin Abdul Nor is part of a "syndicate" to supply labour from Bangladesh to Malaysia. - Mkini