KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) supports the government's decision to streamline the management of foreign workers under one single ministry, the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN).
It said establishing the foreign workers one-stop centre (OSC) in foreign workers management division under KDN, which already holds final approval authority over immigration matters, is a good step towards reducing bureaucracy.
"We believe this move will significantly enhance efficiency and expedite processes for employers in the rubber glove industry as well as other important sectors of the economy."
"This centralised approach will hopefully enable businesses to respond faster to changes in conditions and operate more efficiently especially in respect to processing of quota applications, extension of conditional approval letters and more," it said in a statement today.
The rubber glove industry in Malaysia is particularly reliant on a stable and efficient workforce to meet the fluctuating demands of the global market.
"During the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for rubber gloves surged and we witnessed first hand the critical role foreign workers play in ensuring our industry's fulfilment of the global healthcare requirements."
"We recently saw that exports for rubber gloves in the first six months of 2024 surged 17.2 per cent to a total of RM6.8 billion (approximately US$1.44 billion) as compared to RM5.8 billion (approximately US$1.31 billion) recorded in the same period last year." "This underscores the growing need for a robust workforce to support Malaysia`s exports as demand increases," it said. Furthermore, the association also said the industry is striving for higher automation rates; however, the final phase remains the most challenging.
It added that as the industry prepare for potential capacity expansion and increased production, timely access to foreign workers is essential.
"We are optimistic that the OSC KDN will facilitate a smoother application process, enabling employers like those in the rubber glove industry, meet their labour requirements efficiently."
"Malaysia's rubber glove industry is a vital contributor to the nation's economy, accounting for over 60 per cent of rubber product exports."
"We are confident that this streamlined approach to foreign worker management can create an environment that supports our member companies and contributes well to gross domestic product (GDP) and to the overall growth of the Malaysian economy," it said.