PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry has yet to make a decision on the proposed implementation of a new foreign worker recruitment system known as the Universal Recruitment Advanced Platform (Turap).
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the matter will be brought to the Cabinet for consideration before the ministry takes a position.
"When it is brought to the Cabinet, the Home Ministry will provide its views at that time," he said at a press conference on Tuesday (Apr 21).
Previously, 10 PKR MPs urged the Human Resources Ministry to stay aligned with national policy frameworks under the 12th Malaysia Plan and the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan.
The lawmakers called on the ministry to prioritise labour market reforms aimed at reducing reliance on foreign workers.
They said they strongly oppose the proposed introduction of a new recruitment system by Bestinet Sdn Bhd.
In a joint statement on Monday (Apr 20), the group said the central goal is to reduce the cap on foreign workers from 15% of the total workforce to 10%.
The group includes Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Subang MP Wong Chen and Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung.
Other signatories are Rodziah Ismail, Zahir Hassan, Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Hassan Karim, Kesavan Subramaniam and Onn Abu Bakar.
The MPs highlighted Cabinet-approved measures intended to encourage employers to hire local workers and develop certified skilled careers.
They said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan should prioritise implementing these policies rather than deepening dependence on foreign labour.
The lawmakers took issue with Ramanan portraying Bestinet and its Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) in a positive light.
