IPOH (Bernama): The government has agreed to reinstate the foreign workers' replacement scheme for all sectors effective July 1, says Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.
He said the reinstatement of the scheme would allow employers to get replacements for foreign workers who had returned to their home country without having to go through a new application process.
"At the Cabinet meeting, the government approved the reinstatement of the system that was suspended (by the previous government) in 2017.
"It was an inconvenience to employers who were forced to go through the normal application process and incur further costs to get their replacement workers.
"The government believes this approach will not involve increasing the number of foreign workers but instead retain the number that have been approved for employers before," he said.
Kulasegaran, who is also Ipoh Barat MP, was speaking to reporters after a dialogue with the Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCI) and the Malaysian Palm Oil Manufacturers Association (POMA) at the Perak PCCCI office here Friday (May 31).
He also said the government's decision was expected to help resolve the issue of worker shortage faced by the industry to ensure production of goods, especially those for export, was not affected.
He added that employers wishing to apply for replacement of foreign workers should contact the Foreign Workers Management Division of the Home Ministry.
Kulasegaran had earlier said that he and Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would present to the Cabinet their findings on re-establishing the government's mechanism for the replacement of foreign workers. - Bernama
