PETALING JAYA: V. Sivakumar, the Human Resources Minister, stated that the management of foreign workers in Malaysia depends on prioritizing local workers and employer demand. He emphasized that it is also subject to the needs and sectors determined by the Government. The relaxation of conditions for hiring foreign workers by the Government was intended to assist businesses during the challenging economic environment and the post-Covid-19 effects.
Businesses in critical need of workers were prioritized for support. However, companies with approvals must fulfill regulatory requirements within six months regarding the hiring of foreign workers, even though the conditions were relaxed, according to the statement by Sivakumar.
His response came after an Oct 19 report suggesting that Malaysia was facing an excessive number of foreign workers due to systemic weaknesses. Sivakumar pointed out that the relaxation measures were temporary and had been halted since March 18 this year.
The Government reviewed the relaxation program and acknowledged that some employers had misused the flexibility, resulting in the approved quota exceeding the actual needs. Consequently, this has negatively impacted foreign workers, with issues such as unpaid wages, lack of jobs, and inadequate accommodation. The government is seriously addressing these problems and will take steps to resolve them.
As part of the solution, the government decided not to provide new quotas and will only manage the entry of workers based on approved quotas. The aim is to ensure that the number of foreign workers in Malaysia does not exceed 2.4 million by 2025. Additionally, authorities will increase enforcement activities and take strict actions against non-compliant employers or those involved in fraudulent activities during the relaxation program.
Employers and private employment agencies that breach laws or misuse policies and directives related to foreign worker recruitment will be blacklisted. Furthermore, foreign workers whose employers misused the relaxation program will be assisted through the Employer Exchange Programme, and new employers will undergo screening by the Labour Department and Immigration before the workers can join them, Sivakumar added.
