HOME Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail revealed today that employers in Malaysia’s service sector have displayed the highest rates of non-compliance with hiring regulations for foreign workers.
The non-compliance includes instances where workers are found to be employed outside the designated service sector, encompassing more than 10 sub-sectors, thus violating their work permits.
During a joint press conference with Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar, Saifuddin acknowledged the issue of work permit abuse.
“Of course, there is an element of work permit abuse. But I would like to state that there are also enforcements by regulating agencies – Immigration under the Home Ministry, as well as the Labour Department under the Human Resources Ministry.”
Moreover, the ministers discussed a surplus of over 120,000 foreign workers in the service sector, despite an initial industry demand projection of only 20,000 workers.
Saifuddin emphasised that while work permit abuse does occur, it is not at a level where employers blatantly disregard all laws.
“For me to say that (work permit abuse) does not happen, that’s illogical. It happens. But is it at a level where the employers blatantly break all laws, do not comply at all? No? When it happens, action will be taken against the employer.
“This is within the scope of inspection and non-compliance with regulations, and when comparing all five sectors, the highest rate (of non-compliance) is in the service sector,” he added.
Furthermore, the inspection encompassed four other sectors: construction, agriculture, plantation and manufacturing. Instances of non-compliance were found in various aspects, including wages, working hours, housing and others.
The announcement came following the ninth meeting of an inter-ministry joint committee on foreign worker management chaired by both ministers at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur. – Oct 18, 2023
Main photo credit: Bernama
