Saifuddin to visit Nepal in February to discuss labour agreement, intake

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is scheduled to visit Nepal in the first week of February following the announcement that 500,000 foreign workers are expected to be brought into Malaysia in stages.

Nepali newspaper Kantipur reported that Saifuddin, along with a Human Resources Ministry representative, will be heading to the South Asian country to better understand the situation of Nepali workers.

“Despite a policy to recruit 500,000 workers immediately, the quota of how many to be taken from Nepal has not been decided,” said Nepalese ambassador Dilli Prasad Paudel, as reported by Kantipur.

He added that Saifuddin’s visit to Nepal will be very important from a strategic point of view.

Paudel met with Saifuddin and Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar in a diplomatic meeting last Friday.

He also revealed that Saifuddin will be heading to India and Bangladesh after his Nepal visit.

There has not been a formal visit from high-ranking Malaysian officials to Nepal since the labour agreement between the two countries.

Other migrant labour issues to be discussed

Paudel said during the visit to Nepal, the home minister will formally announce the policies on taking in foreign workers for the welfare and safety of the workers.

“Recently, Malaysia has changed its labour and immigration policy to consider the interests, rights, and security of the workers. Malaysia has set an agenda to make its point clear.

“Malaysia will have its own plan on how to bring trained security guards as they will be brought only from Nepal,” he added.

Among the 15 countries from which Malaysia brings in foreign workers, only Nepal has a labour agreement to take workers at zero cost.

However, an official from the Nepali Labour Ministry noted that this zero-cost policy seems to only apply to the gloves, electronics, and plantations sectors.

“We believe that it should be applied in all sectors.

“Nepali workers in the security sector are not getting proper wages. We said that at least RM3,000 should be allocated for security guards last May.

“We will raise the same issue this time as well,” the Nepali official said.

Former Nepali labour, employment, and social security minister Gokarn Bista was also reported as saying that the implementation of the labour agreement should be reviewed during Saifuddin’s visit to the country.

“A labour contract is not just about hiring workers, it’s not just about cost fees either.

“After going to Malaysia, the issues of workplace safety, treatment, insurance, and social security are also important. It will be beneficial to both countries,” he said.

Sivakumar had previously said the foreign workers to be brought in were for five critical sectors - manufacturing, construction, farming, agriculture, and service (restaurants).

The workers will enter Malaysia via the Foreign Workers Employment Relaxation Plan under the Human Resources Ministry.

The ministry also said that employers in sensitive sectors and their sub-sectors are able to apply for the quota of workers they need through the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System.

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