Margma: Adopt transparent recruitment policy

President Dr Supramaniam Shanmugam (pic) said this was in response to the Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation’s recent call on all stakeholders to adopt an open, transparent and equitable policy towards the recruitment of workers.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (Margma) is urging local businesses to embrace an open and transparent recruitment policy, which is in line with the industry’s commitment to zero-debt bondage.

President Dr Supramaniam Shanmugam (pic) said this was in response to the Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation’s recent call on all stakeholders to adopt an open, transparent and equitable policy towards the recruitment of workers.

“Margma members, who are stakeholders, are aware of what to expect and respect this call,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Supramaniam said the long-standing debt bondage recruitment policy, which had resulted in charging exorbitant fees to job-seeking foreign workers, had only benefitted unscrupulous recruitment agents in the source countries and had victimised both employees (foreign workers) and employers in hiring countries.

“We should put a halt to these greedy recruitment agents profiteering on job-seeking foreign workers in their quest to take up good work opportunities and employment in Malaysia.”

He said the workers should not be held under duress to borrow money and start their employment in Malaysia with a debt to agents.

“To resolve this debt bondage issue, employers particularly in the rubber glove industry have taken the lead out of no choice, to remediate the workers on those exorbitant recruitment fees, lest they fall foul of International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) forced labour requirements.

“Margma believes that our government is aware of these excessive fees and will hopefully establish a resolution with the source country’s government to eradicate the exorbitant recruitment fees to unburden workers and their benevolent employers.”

Supramaniam added that transparency on actual recruitment fees from source countries will be key towards facilitating this process and promote understanding to all potential employers and recruitment agents.

“This will then become the benchmark for recruitment agents, hence doing away with arbitrary and excessive recruitment fees.”

Supramaniam said fees imposed should be fair and reasonable to both the workers and the employers to ensure employment is justified for the industry to operate.

“Margma members are largely investing in the industry expansion in Malaysia and are all interested in the open policy for future investments to create greater job opportunities for both the foreign workers and local employees.

“Margma is committed to be the role model for sensitising employers and the industry as a whole is dedicated to environmental and social governance best practices. Margma members are also guided by the ILO guidelines and standard of practices,” he said.