Today (September 8), a joint paper from the Ministry of Human Resources (KSM) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) has presented a Cabinet Memorandum related to some of the results of the joint meeting between the two ministries that was held on 27 June 2023.
The memorandum also includes issues related to three service sub-sectors, namely barbers, textiles and goldsmiths. On 4 September 2023, YAB Prime Minister made an announcement to reopen the recruitment of foreign workers for the three service sub-sectors which had previously been frozen since 2009.
“I would like to inform you that this reopening is not comprehensive and will be based on the actual needs of the barber, textile and goldsmith sub-sectors. Therefore, to begin with, after examining the needs of the three sub-sectors, the decision of the Cabinet today has decided to open a quota of 7500 people for the three sub-sectors,” said V. Sivakumar, Minister of Human Resources.
This measure will also stop the tendency of employers to employ foreign nationals without valid employment documents.
“We are aware that this tendency has great potential for exploitation and forced labor practices,” he added.
The Ministry of Human Resources together with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living will refine the appropriate mechanism for the purpose of implementing this process, as the Government has currently stopped the application and approval of foreign worker quotas. Therefore, the mechanism developed emphasises the following things:
(a) applications are subject to quota details set according to the three sub sectors;
(b) The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living as a regulatory agency needs to coordinate the above quota details with the industry for the purpose of applying for foreign workers based on the mechanism to be set;
(c) foreign worker applications will follow existing procedures in terms of employer screening under Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955 and verification for quota approval including through an interview process with the Regulatory Agency, which is the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living.
