Private employment agencies’ hopes dashed at non-event meeting

Private employment agencies that attended a meeting with Human Resources Minister M Saravanan yesterday, Jan 11, were anticipating the good news of resuming migrant domestic worker enrolment for Malaysian households after nearly two years of “zero business” and were sorely disappointed when no such announcement was made.

“This March will mark our second year we have had no income and with no government aid throughout the pandemic, many of us have had to shutter our businesses,” Soon Kui Wah told Malaysiakini.

Soon who travelled from Kluang for the meeting in Putrajaya was among at least 60 private employment agencies registered with the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) who attended the meeting with anticipation of news that the government would lift the border restrictions for Filipina domestic workers to start working in Malaysian homes.

“Instead it was a meeting to inform us that the minister did not sign a new MOU for the placement of Bangladesh workers in Malaysia.

“He told us that it was an old MOU that was renewed,” explained T Ganasvary from Kuala Lumpur.

She said the minister told the group that since it was the same MOU that was renewed, the agencies should be aware of its contents.

“We want to know what is in the MOU. As the ministry’s strategic partners, they asked us to be transparent, so likewise, they should be transparent with us,” Ganasvary said.

“News of the HR minister’s intention to meet the home affairs minister the day before had raised our hopes for some good news.

“If we don’t resume our businesses soon, many more will have to wind up their businesses,” she said.

In a media statement on Sept 19 last year, Saravanan reminded employers that there would be no entry of migrant workers, including domestic workers, into Malaysia until Dec 31 and that any decision to reverse this would be made only after discussions among the National Security Council (NSC), MOHR, Home Ministry, Health Ministry and other relevant ministries.

Waiting for the new MOU

Shortly after that, Indonesian Ambassador Hermono told Malaysiakini that Indonesia would stop sending its citizens to Malaysia as domestic workers until a new MOU between the two countries for the recruitment and placement of Indonesian domestic workers was signed to replace the previous MOU that lapsed in 2016.

Even though the MOU negotiations are expected to conclude in February this year, National Association of Human Resources Malaysia president Zarina Ismail lamented that there was still no clarity when private employment agencies would be able to put in their applications for Calling Visas for domestic workers.

“The demand for domestic workers in Malaysia is very high, to the extent that many are willing to pay exorbitant prices for the placement of domestic workers in their homes.

“There is no reason why domestic workers from other countries like the Philippines cannot enter Malaysia for employment because all the SOPs are in place,” she reasoned.

Misuse of MyTravelPass 

Referring to a recent Malaysiakini report that domestic workers were currently being snuck into Malaysia using the MyTravelPass (MTP) immigration clearance documentation, Zarina said there was very little difference in immigration clearance if the domestic worker entered using the MTP or the Calling Visa as both required workers to follow the SOPs in place, which included the 14-day quarantine.

She explained that the freeze on migrant labour coming in and the misuse of the MTP was causing the placement cost of domestic workers, borne by employers, to become so exorbitant that only the rich can afford them.

“I will send a proposal to the National Security Council to reconsider the travel restrictions for domestic workers from the Philippines via Calling Visa, which is the official procedure.

“This is a very crucial time for private employment agencies as we are teetering on the brink of closure,” she said.

Zarina explained that private employment agencies registered with MOHR were required to pay a bank guarantee that ranged from RM5,000 for licence type A, RM100,000 for licence type B and RM250,000 for licence type C.

She said over the past two years, many agencies had cashed in their bank guarantees to resume business using MTP.

Not possible to fix the overall cost

Anthony Chin, who runs his private employment agency in Petaling Jaya, said the minister also talked about standardising the placement fee so employers will have a fixed maximum cost.

“It is not possible to fix the cost primarily because of varying travel expenses, depending on where the domestic worker is coming from.

“Some of them may need to take a ferry and two flights before reaching Malaysia.

“It is also not possible for Malaysia to dictate the costing terms for Indonesian agents who have their rates to send domestic workers to us,” Chin said.

Chin also shared that Saravanan had asked the group to report agents using the MTP to the respective Labour Department. - Mkini