Pusma welcomes amendments to Private Employment Agencies Act

PETALING JAYA: The National Association of Human Resources Malaysia (Pusma) has welcomed amendments to the Private Employment Agencies Act 2017 to regulate private employment agencies and curb illegal recruitment firms.

Its president Zarina Ismail said in a statement on Wednesday (July 11) that the association fully supported the Private Employment Agencies (Amendment) Act 2017, but reminded the Government to ensure strict enforcement against illegal recruitment agencies that prey on unsuspecting employers.

The Act, aimed at regulating the 1,202 private employment agencies and protect local workers in Malaysia, will be enforced nationwide in August this year.

This amendment Bill, which was passed on Aug 14, 2017 by Parliament, would further empower the Government in regulating recruitment activities conducted by private employment agencies.

"Pusma would like the Government to abolish the direct hiring of domestic workers by employers, as this practice contradicts with the Philippines and Indonesian Embassies' regulations, and it is of high risk for employers to hire domestic workers from source countries," said Zarina.

She said it would lead to more human trafficking issues and abuse of workers.

Zarina said Pusma has received many complaints that employers repatriate domestic workers without informing their licensed recruitment agencies after failing to pay a monthly salary owed to the workers within six months to more than one year.

"As such, Pusma would like the Government to collect a salary guarantee bond from the employers as one of the conditions in the employment contract, and employers shall not be allowed to submit check out memos at any Immigration Department.

"The bank guarantee bond shall be refunded to the employer once the worker has resigned or repatriated," she added.

Formed in 2016, Pusma comprises over 100 domestic worker agencies nationwide, and has organised many dialogue events with Government and foreign agencies.