THE Government must use the labour force that is already at its disposal instead of bringing in more workers.
Speaking to FocusM, Klang MP Charles Santiago said the Government needs to stop bringing in more foreign workers as there are already one too many undocumented workers in Malaysia.
“The Home Affairs Ministry must settle the issue of undocumented foreign workers residing among us, before allowing more workers to enter the country,” he pointed out.
“How do we address the issue of social distancing and contain a pandemic when we have undocumented workers living among documented workers?”
In this regard, Santiago opined that the ministry concerned must allow for the millions of undocumented workers in the country to get tested for COVID-19.
Unfortunately, with the lurking fear of deportation, many foreign workers are unwilling to get tested. As such, they pose a great health risk to the nation.
Santiago suggested that these workers be subjected to COVID-19 testing without repercussion of being apprehended by Immigration authorities.
“Give them four months of amnesty to get tested at hospitals. We can’t keep closing a blind eye to the white elephant in the room.”
Mercy Malaysia, a volunteer relief organisation that provides medical and humanitarian services domestically and internationally, has been conducting free testing for marginalised groups, such as refugees since May.
Mercy Malaysia president Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus was reported saying the effort is part of the Health Ministry’s (MOH) strategy of target testing “vulnerable population.”
“While big companies such as Top Glove Corp Bhd are getting away with housing workers in unconducive living quarters, Malaysians are subjected to all sorts of illnesses,” lamented Santiago.
“Bringing in foreign labour was a political move; those who have had a chance to make money have already done so. Let’s work with the labour force we already have.” – Dec 30, 2020
