329 applications received to employ foreign workers received in Malaysia

This, Minister Sivakumar states, is a low number, considering that the government has set a quota of 7,500.

According to Malaysia's Minister of Human Resources V Sivakumar, the Department Of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) has received a total of 329 applications to employ foreign workers so far, as shared in Parliament. 

As cited in Free Malaysia Today, Minister Sivakumar states that “the number of applications is low considering that the government has set a quota of 7,500". He added that these applications were mainly for three service sub-sectors; namely textile retailing, hairdressing and goldsmithing.

At the same time, another 286 applications have already been processed, with 121 approved and 165 rejected. The remaining 43 are still being vetted. Of the 165 rejected applications, 107 were rejected due to violations of the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act 446).

To reiterate, employers who have received approval from JTKSM are required to attend an interview session at the ministry’s one-stop centre for the next phase of quota approvals.

There have also been calls to review the “stringent” conditions imposed on the hiring of foreign workers for barbershops, textile stores, and goldsmiths. According to V Ganabatirau (Member of Parliament for Klang), many businesses have struggled to fulfil the conditions despite the government’s move to reopen the intake of 7,500 foreign workers for the three sectors.

Lead image / 123rf