Implement recommendations on foreign workers to stop corruption, committee urges govt

PETALING JAYA: The government has been urged to implement the recommendations by the Independent Committee on the Management of Foreign Workers in order to stop corrupt practices in foreign worker recruitment.

The Independent Committee, set up by the then Cabinet in 2018, said in a statement on Monday (May 21) that it views the recent corruption probes on issues involving foreign worker recruitment as worrying.

"We express our grave disquiet at the recent revelations regarding the alleged corrupt practices in the Human Resources Ministry in respect of the recruitment of foreign workers.

"The recruitment, employment and repatriation of foreign workers should be fair, transparent and ethical.

"These principles should be the fundamental pillars in the government’s management of foreign workers in Malaysia.

"We therefore urge the government to urgently implement the various recommendations made in the Report of the Independent Committee on the Management of Foreign Workers," it said.

The statement was signed by members of the committee, including its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamuddin Yunus.

It said that a final report was presented in May 2019 to the Cabinet and the recommendations included the urgent removal of corrupt practices and preferential treatment granted to appointed service providers, and the immediate end to abuse of documented and undocumented foreign workers by employers, recruiters and enforcement agencies.

"We are deeply disappointed that the problems and issues identified by the committee in its report continue unabated with the recent incidents faced by both employers and foreign workers," it said.

It also urged the government to make the report public.