Ministry should be given bigger role in recruitment of foreign labour – MTUC

SHAH ALAM: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has suggested that the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) be given bigger role in the recruitment of foreign workers to ensure that future intake will only be based on necessity.

Its deputy secretary-general, A.Balasubramaniam, in making the call said the ministry will be in a better position to provide guidelines and procedures which will offer clarity and transparency on the process of hiring foreign workers besides ensuring all hiring activities are in accordance with government requirements.

“Though procurement of foreign workers are now handled by the Home Ministry, the government should only allow the MOHR to have a say on the issuance of permits for foreign workers.

“By doing so, many malpractices and abuses can be prevented. The Labour Department which comes under the MOHR has 72 offices throughout the country where they are better aware on the need to engage foreign workers in a particular workforce,” he told Bernama.

Balasubramaniam said there must be a clear policy where all future recruitment of foreign labours must be based on Government-to-Government basis so as to completely eliminate the role of middlemen.

“Responsible recruitment practices must include not charging recruitment-related fees at any stage in the recruitment process, whether by employers, their contractors or agents from both the receiving and sending countries,” he added.