Dept plans meeting over MyEG issue

CIMB Research pointed out the termination of the rehiring programme is not a surprise.

PETALING JAYA: A meeting to resolve issues over the online renewal of foreign worker permits via My E.G. Services Bhd (MyEG) will be held soon with all concerned parties.

Immigration deputy director-general (operations) Datuk Sakib Kusmi said officials from the department, the Home Ministry, MyEG and representatives from foreign workers unions and employer associations would attend the meeting.

This was the unanimous decision made during an operational meeting held at the Home Ministry on Tuesday, which was also attended by immigration officials.

Sakib said the meeting was aimed at providing information and promoting the new method of renewing work permits of foreign workers through MyEG.

“This meeting and discussion will focus on explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the new method and to compare it with the old system.

“The discussion will allow employees to better understand the new system and its long-term benefits,” he said when contacted by mStar Online on Tuesday.

The introduction of the new system was met with a lot of unhappiness by employers, who said that it was “a sudden change” and they were being forced to pay RM38 for each application, compared to the process being conducted for free when done through immigration counters.

“Among the employer representatives that have been called for the meeting are the Malaysian Employers Federation, the Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies, the Malaysian National Association of Employment Agencies, the Malaysian Maid Employers’ Association and representatives from large companies who have many foreign workers,” Sakib said.

He added that the meeting would also provide an opportunity for the employers to voice their suggestions and problems relating to the new system.

“We will listen to what they have to say and decide on the best option,” he said.

On a separate matter, Sakib said employers who wanted to renew their foreign worker permits at Immigration counters could still do so but only to sort out issues on workers who had overstayed or were blacklisted.