KATHMANDU. Nepal: The Nepal government sent a diplomatic letter on Tuesday stating that it will not be able to accept and implement the new criteria (mandatory conditions) set by Malaysia for manpower companies from source countries, as reported by local daily Ekantipur.
Malaysia had sent a letter to Nepal, setting 10 criteria for manpower from five countries, including Nepal, to ‘select an appropriate number of manpower companies to practice decent labor migration between the two countries.’ The source country was given a deadline of Kartik 27 to recommend a manpower company according to those criteria.
The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security sent a diplomatic letter to the Malaysian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating that such conditions could not be met.
According to an official from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Malaysia’s proposal was rejected on the instructions of Prime Minister Sushila Karki. Prime Minister Karki has been holding the responsibility of both the ministries of labor and foreign affairs in the government formed after the Gen Ji uprising.
‘The labor agreement between Nepal and Malaysia is in the process of being renewed. Nepal's manpower company has been sending workers to Malaysia as per the Foreign Employment Act and labor agreements. This practice is being done in accordance with the constitutional provisions, national immigration policy, foreign employment law, bilateral labor agreements and international labor laws,' the official said, 'The legal provisions should be changed to accept Malaysia's proposal. There is no possibility of changing the law right now.'
The government has informed Malaysia that labor-related issues can be taken forward through bilateral talks and understanding. 'Malaysia and Nepal have strong labor relations.
Both countries want to make the labor recruitment process transparent, fair and systematic. If there is any issue related to this issue, there should be dialogue. For this, a joint technical working committee meeting is being held. This should be done,' the official told Kantipur, 'We are sensitive to the issue of ensuring employment for Nepalis in Malaysia.'
Prime Minister Karki has instructed Foreign Secretary Amrit Kumar Rai to hold high-level talks for employment in Malaysia and the welfare and security of Nepalis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing to hold diplomatic discussions with the Malaysian acting ambassador in Kathmandu on this issue.
"The issue of charging high cost fees to workers for sending them to Malaysia should be improved. Nepal must adopt all measures to address the problem seen here," she instructed Labor Secretary Krishnahari Pushkar.
The Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs Association has been drawing the government's attention, saying that Malaysia's standards will maintain a monopoly.
The 10-point criteria sent by Malaysia include five years of having a license, sending at least 3,000 workers within five years, sending workers to at least three countries, having an office spread over 10,000 square feet, having a certificate of good character for the manpower company operator, and not being involved in forced labor, human trafficking, labor law violations, currency embezzlement, and other economic crimes.
