Employers urged not to ignore labour standards despite relaxations

 

Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar has reminded employers not to ignore labour standards even though relaxations are being granted under the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan to expedite the approval of quotas for foreign workers.

In a statement today, he said he also hoped for cooperation from employers and industry players in order to ensure that compliance on the basic aspects of labour standards is maintained.

This included such factors as monthly salary payments to workers, minimum wage implementation and Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions, he said.

"Aspects related to labour standards should not be ignored even though the process will be monitored by the Department of Labour in Peninsular Malaysia and the Immigration Department, which will be six to seven months after the quota approval date," said Sivakumar.

He said this was crucial in order to safeguard the country’s image and credibility without compromising workers’ welfare and rights, as outlined by the International Labour Organisation.

Sivakumar also urged employers to apply for a quota for foreign workers under the plan to relax the employment of foreign workers based on their actual needs.

"The Human Resource Ministry will ensure that the approval of the quota application will meet the actual need of the country’s workforce,” he said.

He added that employers must ensure that documents to support the quota application are authentic as there have been instances of fraud and false document submissions.

On Tuesday, Sivakumar said the government will implement the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan to make it easier and faster to hire foreign workers in five critical sectors and sub-sectors.

The plan for relaxation of conditions on migrant worker recruitment is for the manufacturing, construction, plantations, agriculture and services (restaurants only) sectors and sub-sectors. - Mkini