Call for effective solution on foreign workers who quit without notice
TAWAU: The government, the Immigration Department and the Indonesian Consulate have been urged to seriously study the implications of foreign workers who stopped working suddenly and left without giving any prior notice to their employers.
Parti Gerakan Malaysia vicepresident Brigadier General Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah said a suitable and effective solution should be worked out to tackle these workers as it could create problems and is unfair to employers who have to bear cost of their passport and guarantee fees.
“For instance, if a worker suddenly stops working and leaves without any prior notice to the employer and then commits a criminal offence, the unfortunate employer would still be responsible for the worker, which is very unfair for the employer.
“Under such circumstances, the Immigration Department should provide guidelines and advice to the employers on what they should do if faced with such situation,” he said after receiving a courtesy call by representatives of the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau at his office here yesterday.
The visitors were the Indonesian Consulate chief representative in Tawau, Krishna Dielani, who will be transferred to the Indonesian Consulate in Kota Kinabalu, the in-coming Indonesian Consulate chief representative for Tawau, Sulistijo Djati Ismojo, and public liaison officer, Ronaldo Constantin.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the Indonesian Consulate in Tawau for their assistance in handling and managing Indonesian workers working in Tawau. I hope the good relationship established between Malaysia and Indonesia will continue at all times,” he said.
Meanwhile, Indonesia has proposed an initiative to set up a health clinic on Sebatik island in collaboration with Malaysia for the betterment of Indonesians and Malaysians living there.
Liew, who is commanding officer of the 516 Territorial Army Regiment for east coast of Sabah, said he is in full agreement with this initiative which would help to reduce the burden of Indonesian or foreign workers who presently have to undergo treatment at Tawau hospital.
As the costs of medicine are getting higher, he believes the establishment of a new clinic on Sebatik island would create a win-win solution for Malaysia and Indonesia, especially in terms of bearing the costs.