Bestinet contract extended under stricter conditions: Saifuddin

The government has extended Bestinet’s contract to run the Foreign Worker Centralized Management System (FWCMS) for another three years.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the contract extension was granted after the cabinet agreed to continue the company’s services.

“Yes, it has been finalised by the cabinet a few weeks ago,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today.

However, Saifuddin said the extension comes with stricter conditions.

“The government has established a committee led by Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali and representatives from the Home Ministry, Human Resources Ministry, and the Attorney-General’s Chambers, to discuss the terms of the contract.

“The committee’s task is to sit with the company to develop several parameters to streamline the implementation of this system so that the interests of the government and employers hiring foreign workers are protected and the welfare of foreign workers are not neglected,” he added.

He said among the basic principles discussed in the new contract is to expedite the application process, reduce migration costs, and ensure the welfare of foreign workers and the interests of employers.

No previous govt-Bestinet agreement

Previously, industry sources told Malaysiakini that Bestinet’s contract had been extended since June 1 under new terms that would give the government more control over the process.

The government had been urged to stop the implementation of the FWCMS and to review the controversial system.

NGO Hak Konsumer Sejahtera (Haks) chairperson Shahrir Adnan said the implementation of the foreign worker management system by a private company with political connections is at odds with the government’s reform agenda.

In the 2022 Auditor-General’s Report published last year, it was reported that FWCMS had many weaknesses making it susceptible to manipulation, with instances of conflict of interest and breach of governance and control.

The auditor-general also could not find a clear method for how the system was implemented.

Despite seven years of operation, there was still no agreement between the government and Bestinet, which left the government’s rights unclear in the arrangement.

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