Minister: Migrant workers allowed on local fishing vessels
The government will allow migrant workers to be employed on local fishing vessels provided they have the necessary paperwork.
Foreign workers will also be allowed to return home but will not be guaranteed re-entry into Malaysia.
The government will allow migrant workers to be employed on local fishing vessels provided they have the necessary paperwork.
Foreign workers will also be allowed to return home but will not be guaranteed re-entry into Malaysia.
This was announced by Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob (above) in a statement today.
“In principle, the (National Security Council) meeting has no objections against foreign crew working on local fishing vessels as this helps ensure an adequate supply of fish for the country.
“However, they will first need to obtain permission from their governments to leave their countries,” he said.
The workers will need a work permit (permit lawatan kerja sementara) from the Immigration Department, be screened for Covid-19 and undergo compulsory quarantine for 14-days before starting work.
“Employers will also need to provide their foreign crew with a place to stay,” he added.
Expats allowed to return home, with conditions
Meanwhile, Ismail said that foreign nationals will be allowed to return home but stipulated that such trips had to be “one-way”.
“The Malaysian government will not stop any foreigners who want to return to their home countries provided they make one-way trips.
“For foreign nationals who do not have travel documents, they will first need to obtain travel documents from their respective embassies,” he said.
As for foreign workers classified as expatriates, Ismail said they will be allowed to leave Malaysia “only for emergencies or medical purposes”.
Malaysiakini has enquired with the Defence Ministry on whether expatriates are allowed to re-enter Malaysia.
The minister also shared that the police had arrested seven foreign nationals on unspecified “immigration wrongdoings”.
His statement said that the police, military, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Border Security Agency (Aksem) were collaborating in a border control operation named “Operasi Benteng”.
Thus far, the operation had seen 68 roadblocks nationwide and conducted checks on 46,023 vehicles to prevent undocumented migrants from entering the country.
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