He said his ministry was attempting to collaborate with the home ministry to integrate all existing data and systems.

“The system downtime will be fixed in due time,” he told reporters after announcing a competition for the development of content for the online learning platform e-LATiH, aimed at professionals and students.

Saravanan was previously reported as saying that the foreign worker intake was coordinated via two systems – the human resources ministry’s Eppax system and the home ministry’s Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS) website.

“We are carrying out integration between the two systems. This is important because there might be data by the home ministry that the human resources ministry would not have.”

Business associations have criticised the recalibration programme citing the lack of coordination between the two ministries and the stringent criteria imposed.

Many parties have also urged the government to simplify the processes, adding that businesses were struggling with a severe lack of human capital.

In a statement today, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham asked Saravanan and home minister Hamzah Zainudin to explain why the website for the recalibration or legalisation of undocumented foreign workers has not been functioning since July.

Ngeh also said the Malaysian Palm Oil Association had estimated that the oil palm industry will lose about RM20 billion this year due to the lack of workers.

Saravanan said the government was still having discussions over allowing a larger quota of foreign workers for the plantation industry, adding that the issue has been brought up in Cabinet meetings.

He also acknowledged that jobs offered in the sector were not being taken up by Malaysians.

“So, at the policy stage, we are discussing allowing workers for the plantation sector, but we need to take into account the Covid-19 situation in our country and the source country. We are refining the SOPs for workers to enter the country. It is under discussion.”