Act on 2019 report, migrant workers’ committee urges Anwar

 

Problems and issues identified by the Independent Committee on the Management of Foreign Workers in its report continue unabated.

And this is evident with recent incidents faced by both employers and foreign workers, said its members.

"We express our grave disquiet at the recent revelations regarding the alleged corrupt practices in the Human Resources Ministry, in respect of foreign workers’ recruitment.

"We state that the recruitment, employment and repatriation of foreign workers should be fair, transparent and ethical," they said.

All 11 members of the committee set up in 2018 under the first Pakatan Harapan cabinet, in its call to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration, noted that a majority of its recommendations have yet to be implemented by any of the governments since.

Among the committee's recommendations back then include the urgent removal of corrupt practices and preferential treatment granted to appointed service providers.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

At the same time, it called for an immediate resolution to any impediments faced by employers in employing foreign workers.

They also called for an immediate end to the abuse of foreign workers (documented and undocumented) by employers, recruitment entities and enforcement agencies.

The committee, led by former Court of Appeal judge Mohd Hishamuddin Yunus, said these principles should be the fundamental pillars in the government's management of foreign workers in Malaysia.

"Therefore, we urge the government to urgently implement the various recommendations made in the report by the Independent Committee on the Management of Foreign Workers.

"We also call upon the government to make the report public," they said, in reference to the final report presented to the cabinet in a meeting on May 22, 2019.

Since 2019, various stakeholders have urged the government to make the report public and expedite the implementation of all recommendations made.

In particular, calls were made for comprehensive policy changes and more transparency in the overall migrant workers’ recruitment process. - Mkini