FMM urges govt to review RM1,500 recalibration fee for foreign workers

 

The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has urged the government to review an RM1,500 compound or recalibration fee to legalise and hire undocumented migrant workers under the Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0.

In a statement to Malaysiakini, FMM president Soh Thian Lai welcomed initiatives announced to facilitate the urgent hiring of migrant workers, both new recruits from source countries and those already here, to be legalised via the recalibration programme.

"We believe that the workers who would be eligible for this recalibration scheme are experienced and trained, thus reducing the time required to get them trained or retrained by the new employers.

"We understand, however, that the recalibration processing fee (compound) remains at RM1,500 which is considered high given the high level of systemisation of immigration processing; the cost should have dropped.

"The industry’s main concern is that if the processing cost remains high, the take-up rate under the scheme may be low,” he said.

"We, therefore, call on the government to review the rate and bring it down to a more reasonable cost," he added.

The Home Ministry through the Immigration Department had over the years collected funds from the compound charged for participation in various amnesty exercises for undocumented migrants here - a figure estimated to be double the number of documented workers.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said last year the government collected RM700 million in compounds from the first recalibration programme that ended on Dec 31.

The recalibration programme was first introduced in 2020 - at the time with an RM1,500 recalibration fee and RM500 deposit - for undocumented migrant workers who intended to legally work in Malaysia or return home.

This was an increase from a previous fee of RM1,200 charged for participation in a rehiring programme launched in 2016.

This time, eligible undocumented migrants can be regularised to be hired in a total of eight sectors - domestic, manufacturing, construction, mining and quarrying, security guards, services, agriculture, and plantations.

Indonesia supports programme extension

In a related response, Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Hermono said Indonesia fully supports an extension of the recalibration programme and will assist to provide workers with their necessary documents.

Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Hermono

He, however, expressed hope that fees or compound charged for participation in the latest recalibration programme beginning Jan 27 can be reduced to a minimum.

"We hope that the recalibration fee can be reduced to a minimal sum in order to encourage employers to register their (undocumented) workers.

"Based on reports we received from the previous recalibration programme, a portion or all of the fees are burdened on the workers although by law their employer has to pay," Hermono told Malaysiakini.

"Control over this deviation (from the law) is difficult because participating workers were afraid to lose their jobs," he said.

There were also cases of migrant workers being made to pay up to RM8,000, according to migrant rights group North-South Initiative director Adrian Pereira, despite the official cost charged to employers.

"The cost was passed back by employers to their workers. The government said no agents are involved but in reality, workers had to pay up to RM8,000.

"There was no oversight or audits on this. We found out from our research and interview with workers," Pereira told Malaysiakini.

Ease workers’ return cost

At the same time, Hermono said there continue to be Indonesian migrants who wished to return home but are burdened by high costs.

"We hope there will be another recalibration programme at a lower cost of RM500 for those wishing to return home.

"If this 'return recalibration' is carried out, it will be in line with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's commitment to resolve issues surrounding Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia in a holistic manner, as what he had indicated during the recent official visit to Jakarta," the ambassador added.

For employers who continue to hire undocumented Indonesian workers, Hermono urged Malaysia to take stern actions under existing laws.

Anwar in his official meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo recently discussed the topic of protection for Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, a subject which had in recent years triggered strained diplomatic ties after tragic incidents of domestic workers' abuse. - Mkini