MTUC: Set up RCI on huge number of undocumented migrants
The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called on the government to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry and identify the “culprits” responsible for the current huge number of undocumented migrants in the country.
One day after Putrajaya announced a freeze in the intake of all foreign workers, there was an immediate crackdown in which nearly 1,000 migrants were nabbed for various immigration offences, MTUC secretary-general N Gopal Kishnam noted in a statement today.
“This shows that there is a large number of foreign workers already here and the government should first look into registering them for legal employment, before bringing in more foreign workers.
“Again, MTUC like to stress that Malaysia should drop the idea of bringing on more foreign workers into our country by carrying out a comprehensive study including on why youngsters are joining but not lasting in the job,” Gopal said.
He said MTUC welcomed the government’s decision to put on hold the recruitment of workers from all source countries until it ascertains the actual manpower needs of the industries.
At the same time, Gopal said, the government should have conducted a Labour Impact Assessment study prior to signing the deal with Bangladesh to facilitate the employment of 1.5 million Bangladeshis in Malaysia over the next three to five years.
The study would determine the actual demands from industries and employers for foreign workers.
On Human Resources Minister Richard Riot’s ( photo ) statement that not all 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers are bound for Malaysia, Gopal also said the MTUC is questioning Putrajaya’s sudden reversal of its stand on the matter.
“The only question that came to our mind is why was there was a sudden U-turn in the government stand.
“The latest statement (by Richard) clearly shows that the government is not telling the true picture about recruitment of foreign workers,” Gopal stressed.
Amid mounting concerns and criticisms over the expected arrival of 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers, Richard had claimed that figure was “ not correct ” as it supposedly represents the total number of workers registered with the government of Bangladesh through the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, to be sent to 139 countries.
However, the Bangladeshi Expatriate Ministry acting secretary on Feb 20 described as an “eyewash” the announcement a day earlier that Malaysia’s foreign worker intake would be frozen.
Begum Shamsunnahar was reported in Dhaka Tribune as saying that Bangladeshi nationals would continue with their plans to work in Malaysia following the agreement between the two countries.
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