Its co-director Aegile Fernandez, instead suggested, Putrajaya grant work permits to undocumented migrants in the country before deciding to bring in more foreign labour.
“We are suggesting for five-year work permits be given to undocumented migrants who already have the skills, language and knowledge of the country,” she told FMT.
Aegile was responding to the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Mah Siew Keong who had said that the process to bring in migrant workers from Bangladesh will be expedited to meet dire labour demands in the plantation, rubber glove manufacturing and furnitures sectors.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the Dewan Rakyat last week that the government’s decision to freeze the intake of foreign workers in February had led to the furniture and plantation sectors incurring losses of over RM7.7 billion this year.
Aegile also suggested that during the five-year work permit duration, the government refine the existing system by plugging loopholes and curbing corruption.
“Let’s enforce good practices. Then after the five-year work permit ends, let us relook the need to bring in new migrant workers to the country.”
She also said that the previous rehiring programme by the government not only failed but led to the increasing number of undocumented migrants in the country.
While urging for enforcement and good practices when it came to hiring migrant workers, Aegile also said Putrajaya must work towards reducing the nation’s dependency on foreign labour.