A group of 10 PKR lawmakers today objected to Putrajaya's alleged plan to adopt a new migrant worker management system called The Universal Recruitment Advanced Platform (Turap), which is being developed by Bestinet Sdn Bhd.
In a joint statement, they criticised Human Resources Minister R Ramanan for defending the continued cooperation with Bestinet, which was also behind the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) being used by the government.
The MPs said they strongly believe Malaysia does not need a new system to manage the migrant worker hiring process, especially when the government is planning to replace FWCMS with its own National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe) by 2028.
"Critical government systems and services related to national security and migrant workers must not be privatised through public-private partnership models, as proposed under Turap.
"Even if there is a need for a new system, any such system must adhere to specifications and requirements set by the government and be awarded through an open tender process.
"The government should not have multiple systems managing the recruitment of foreign workers operating simultaneously.
"It has already committed to using FWCMS until 2031 and therefore should not introduce another system like Turap that would effectively extend a 'monopoly concession' to a private company for another long period, reportedly 12 years," the statement said.
It was signed by Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), Wong Chen (Subang), Lee Chean Chung (Petaling Jaya), Rodziah Ismail (Ampang), Zahir Hassan (Wangsa Maju), Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau), Hassan Karim (Pasir Gudang), S Kesavan (Sungai Siput), and Onn Abu Bakar (Batu Pahat).
Their objection came on the heels of mounting criticisms against the government over its alleged plan to utilise Turap.
Contradictions
Ramanan had said that he saw no issues with adopting Bestinet as the system developer, but indicated it has yet to receive government approval.
To this, the lawmakers pointed out that Ramanan's position contradicts reports by check-and-balance bodies such as the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the National Audit Department, which found FWCMS plagued by governance issues.
"As such, Ramanan's statement, which suggests that the performance of Bestinet and FWCMS is highly satisfactory, contradicts the governance principles repeatedly emphasised by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim," they said.
Malaysiakini has reached out to Ramanan and Bestinet for comments.
On March 27, Malaysiakini reported that the government is considering a new digital system to manage migrant workers, which industry sources claim will be called Turap.
Sources said the proposal aims to improve the recruitment ecosystem, which is mired by high costs and poor worker welfare.
However, industry players have expressed scepticism about whether the new system will bring genuine changes or merely add another layer to the existing systems.
Following the report, police launched an investigation into Malaysiakini, with one of its journalists called in to give a statement.
A coalition representing private employment agencies had also expressed strong objection against Turap, which they claimed would create a monopoly in the migrant worker recruitment sector. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.