Manufacturers claim charges costly
Manufacturers laud the government’s commitment in encouraging online applications of foreign worker hires, but question the costly charges.
Employers of foreign workers, here, were responding to MyEG Services Bhd’s (MyEG) recent announcement confirming its RM553.85 million government concession to provide online renewal of temporary employment passes for foreign workers.
In its filing to Bursa Malaysia on Thursday, MyEG said the fiveyear concession was to provide the online service from May 23 2015 to May 22 2020.
Five months ago, the stock exchange reprimanded MyEG and fined its managing director Wong Thean Soon RM50,000 for the late disclosure on its appointment to implement the fully online renewal of foreign workers’ permit.
When contacted by NST Business yesterday, Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (Misif) president Datuk Soh Thian Lai questioned the move to outsource the foreign workers’ permit renewal.
“Steel company employers are facing rising cost of doing business. We appeal to the government to take on cost-saving measures to rectify this worrying development that is hurting our economy,” he added.
Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association president Denis Low Jau Foo noted online applications to the government were supposed to be a cost-saving platform, but the charges imposed had the opposite effects of raising the cost of doing business.
“Our main concern is MyEG overcharging employers using the online application platform,” said Low.
Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai said: “It is good that the government encourages electronic applications and approvals. Manufacturers, however, are very concerned about the expensive charges imposed.”