Stop Supply Of Foreign Workers Through Agents To Solve Influx Of Illegals - MPN

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Council of Professors (MPN) has proposed that the hiring and managing of foreign workers be done between governments and not through the supply agents in order to check the influx of illegal foreign migrants in this country. MPN deputy secretary-general, Prof Dr Kamaruddin Mohd Said said the supply agents, whether in the countries of origin or Malaysia, charged high fees, causing the foreign migrants to be in debt although they had not started working yet and not being able to get their salary for up to nine or 10 months in order to settle the debt. "They had originally come here with a good intention, but to free themselves from the debt, they ran away from their contract and their status have now changed to illegal foreign workers," he said. The proposal was among the resolutions passed at the two-day MPN Conference on 'The National Dilemma: Issues and Challenges on Foreign Workers in Malaysia' which ended, here, Tuesday. Kamaruddin told reporters that MPN also proposed that the Employment Act (Amendment) 2012 and Industrial Relations Act 1967 which did not touch on the scenario that plagued foreign workers, be reviewed. "There are almost six million foreign workers (in this country) but there is no specific act covering their interests," he noted. The resolutions passed at the conference will be submitted to Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at its closing Tuesday night. Kamaruddin said 13 main matters were discussed at the conference, including Malaysia's dependence on foreign workers, the local community's perception of them, and enforcement and security concerns. Secretary of MPM's governance, legal and public management cluster, Prof Dr Durrishah Idrus had suggested during the conference that a research institute on foreign workers be set up to facilitate studies and discussions on the issue among concerned parties. "When all parties are involved in a big group including the enforcement agencies which have a lot of knowledge on the issue, the documentation process will also be easier. "This institute can be a one-stop centre to obtain the latest research findings and data gathered by local or foreign researchers," Durrishah said. -- BERNAMA