Pappas urges govt to safeguard interests of local agencies
KOTA KINABALU: The Foreign Worker Recruitment Agencies Association (Pappas) has called on the government to only allow private employment agencies owned by Sabahans to manage and deal with foreign labours’ work passes in Sabah to safeguard the interests of local agencies.
Pappas president Anthony Leong Tit Khi has welcomed the State Cabinet’s decision to lower the age limit for Sabah My Second Home programme (SBH-MM2H) from the current 55 years old to 30 years and above, as well as allow participants of the programme to sell their property after five years on condition they must purchase a new home valued at no less than RM600,000.
By lowering the age limit, Leong said this will provide opportunities and encourage younger qualified participants who were unable to apply for the programme in the past.
“In this regard, it will attract more participants from overseas countries and indirectly boost the economy in Sabah.”
Leong pointed out that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor had said that under the new policy, the appointment of the SBH-MM2H agents must be from local Sabah companies.
He welcomed this announcement and hoped that the same policy will also be accorded to all the private employment agencies owned by Sabahans to manage and deal with the work passes of foreign workers in Sabah.
He said Pappas hopes that private employment agencies from outside Sabah will not be allowed to expand their business to Sabah in order to safeguard the economy of Sabah and local agencies.
Pappas has 34 members in Sabah.