Fed govt mulls Social Protection Scheme for foreign workers

MIRI: The federal government is now in the final stage of considering the proposal to protect foreign workers under the Social Protection Scheme, similar to the coverage for local workers.

Human Resources Deputy Minister Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the consideration involved moving Workers Compensation Act, 1952 to Social Security Act, 1969.

“Such effort is vital in order to meet the international standard requirement which is Convention No. 19 on Equality Treatment on Social Protection by International Labour Organisation.

“Doing so will project a good image for the country which now has been listed under Tier 2 Watch List by United States of America,” he stated in his address when officiating at the Miri-level town hall session with Independent Committee of Foreign Workers’ Management at the Industrial Training Institute ( ILP) Miri yesterday.

In addition to that, Mahfuz said the government was still studying

Such effort is vital in order to meet the international standard requirement which is Convention No. 19 on Equality Treatment on Social Protection by International Labour Organisation. Datuk Mahfuz Omar, Human Resources Deputy Minister

the multi-tier levy system which allows employers to employ as many foreign workers as they want by getting feedback from various relevant parties, although the system has been successfully implemented in Singapore.

He said after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over the federal government administration, PH has received a number of suggestions on how to improve the management of foreign workers in the country. He added that the Ministry of Human Resources and Ministry of Home Affairs had been given the task to improve the services as well as to reduce bureaucracy in the management of foreign workers employment.

Thus far, he pointed out, the government had agreed for the two ministries to create an online foreign worker employment application – PPAX – and to freeze foreign workers application system (SPPA) for Bangladesh as well as to allow employers to extend foreign working permit for those who had been working for 10 to 13 years with levy charged at RM10,000 a year per person.

“The need for continuous improvement has been agreed by the Special Committee on Foreign Workers Management which is chaired by the Prime Minister.

“Thus, an independent committee on foreign workers management has been set up to study and serve as a platform to suggest to the government a comprehensive policy and efficient foreign workers management for the country.”

Also present were secretarygeneral of Ministry of Human Resources Datuk Amir Omar and director of Institute of Labour Market Information and Analysis ( ILMIA) Wan Zulkfli Wan Setapa.