Migrant workers: No rush to approve despite high demand - minister

The government will not rush to approve applications for the entry of migrant workers into the country through the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan, despite high demand from employers.

Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar said the government has so far approved the entry of 500,000 migrant workers, but applications have exceeded that limit.

“The ministry received a high number of applications specifically for five critical sectors, namely manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture, and services, and even now there are still employers applying.

“We will look at the development first, whether we approve directly within three days as stipulated. However, we need to control it because we do not want the number allocated under the 12th Malaysia Plan to exceed 2.4 million people,” he said.

Sivakumar said this after attending the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Fifth Convocation ceremony at the Dewan Bunga Raya of the KTM Academy in Perak.

Also present were Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah and KTMB group chief executive officer Mohd Rani Hisham Samsudin.

The minister also said the government is also trying to find the best mechanism to enable employers to hire migrant workers directly without involving agents.

“When there is a middle person, the cost will skyrocket. Even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also said this yesterday and urged employers not to use agents.

“The government understands the post-pandemic economic recovery process and we are concerned about this issue, and the cabinet is aware of the problems that have arisen,” Sivakumar added.

- Bernama

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