KUALA LUMPUR: The recruitment of foreign workers into Malaysia must be based on actual sectoral needs and demands, not driven by business interests or profit-making motives, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.
In a statement issued by the Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA) today, Sim said the ministry’s approach aligns with efforts to ensure a more transparent, ethical and jointly responsible labour management system.
The statement followed Sim’s courtesy meeting yesterday with Dr Asif Nazrul, adviser to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment of Bangladesh, and Lutfey Siddiqi, Bangladesh’s Special Envoy for International Affairs.
According to KESUMA, during the meeting, Malaysia and Bangladesh also agreed to strengthen the technical coordination mechanism for labour management through the Joint Working Group (JWG) Meeting.
“This step is crucial to ensure that any issues can be addressed in a timely manner, based on mutual understanding and shared responsibility. The next JWG meeting is scheduled to take place on May 21 and 22 in Dhaka,” the statement said.
In the meeting, which aimed to strengthen both countries’ commitment to improving governance in labour management, KESUMA said Malaysia also shared its long-term strategy to reduce dependence on foreign workers.
To that end, the ministry said the government is in the process of implementing a multi-tier levy system, which will not only encourage the hiring of local workers but also help build a more sustainable and competitive labour market.
“The minister noted that both countries are now led by reformist governments with a political will to carry out comprehensive reforms in cross-border labour management.
“This presents an important opportunity to reset the existing system to be more accountable, transparent, and fair to workers,” the statement added.
Additionally, KESUMA said Malaysia expressed appreciation to the Bangladesh government for recognising Malaysia’s efforts in tackling abuse and misconduct in labour management processes.
“During the meeting, Bangladesh also confirmed that Malaysia was not involved in any of the alleged misconduct previously raised and expressed their support for Malaysia’s firm and principled stance on the issue of human trafficking.
“This visit reflects the shared commitment of Malaysia and Bangladesh to strengthen cross-border labour governance based on the principles of integrity, human rights and universal well-being,” it added.
