Existing migrant workers can help plug labour gaps, says Tenaganita

 The labour rights group says regularising migrant workers already in Malaysia would be ‘faster, more cost-effective and less risky’ than recruiting from abroad.

Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das today said any move to accelerate migrant worker recruitment must be accompanied by stricter employer screening, greater transparency and stronger accountability to ensure workers were recruited only for genuine vacancies. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Malaysia should consider a rights-based regularisation mechanism for migrant workers who are already in the country, and are able and willing to work, instead of relying solely on overseas recruitment, says Labour rights group Tenaganita.

Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil yesterday said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the human resources ministry to expedite 15,000 migrant worker applications to meet urgent manpower needs in key sectors.

In a statement, Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das acknowledged the need to address labour shortages and stressed that regularising migrant workers already in Malaysia would be “faster, more cost-effective and less risky” than continuing to recruit workers from abroad.

She said refugees who are legally permitted to work could also contribute to sectors experiencing genuine labour shortages.

“Continuously bringing in more migrant workers cannot be the only response,” she added.

On addressing labour shortages, she called for Putrajaya to tackle the root causes that make many jobs difficult to fill, including low wages, poor working conditions and weak labour protections.

Das said through its work on the ground, Tenaganita has met many Malaysians who are prepared to work in sectors traditionally filled by migrant workers, provided these jobs offer fair wages, safe working conditions, reasonable working hours and opportunities for decent employment.

“Labour shortages should therefore not be seen simply as a shortage of workers, but also as a reflection of the quality of jobs being offered.

“Improving the quality of work must form part of any long-term strategy to address labour shortages while ensuring decent working conditions for both Malaysian and migrant workers alike,” she said.

Das also urged Putrajaya not to repeat a 2023 recruitment exercise that left thousands of migrant workers stranded without jobs, wages or support, exposing them to “exploitation and severe hardship”.

She said any move to accelerate recruitment must be accompanied by stricter employer screening, greater transparency and stronger accountability to ensure workers were recruited only for genuine vacancies.

Das also called for tougher action against excessive recruitment fees, saying many migrant workers paid between RM10,000 and RM15,000 to secure jobs, leaving them vulnerable to debt and exploitation.

“The true measure of Malaysia’s progress is not how many workers we bring into the country, but how we treat the people who help build our nation,” she said. - FMT