SEBERANG JAYA: Malaysia should not be victimised for issues of forced labour faced by migrant workers in the country.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said the problems faced by migrant workers mainly originated from the source country itself, particularly the agents, and these workers may have been coerced or tricked into certain situations.
He said many of the migrant workers who came into the country were often ridden in massive debts.
"As such, we should not be victimised because of problems which began in the source country. You will not know what is really happening until you are in my shoes.
"However, let me assure you that we are committed and on the right track to address the issue of forced labour involving migrant workers through the launch of the first-ever National Action Plan on Forced Labour (NAPFL) last year.
"The NAPFL is aimed at eradicating forced labour in any and all forms in Malaysia through four strategic goals focusing on awareness, enforcement, labour migration and access to remedy and support services," he said his keynote address in conjunction with the HRD Corp 2022 open day and launch of HRD Corp national forum at The Light Hotel here today.
Present was Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.
Also present were representatives from the British High Commission and the United States Embassy.
Elaborating, Saravanan said, in Malaysia, forced labour was often associated with migrant workers due to their vulnerability and the country's high reliance on foreign workers in labour intensive sectors and industries.
He said many were subjected to horrible living situations, bound by a debt bondage and have their passports and wages withheld.
"These circumstances render it impossible for them to leave the host country.
"Many of the problems faced by these migrant workers came to our knowledge very late and the biggest complaints involved non-payment or late payments of salary.
"But the good news is we have been working towards resolving all these issues," he added.
Moving forward, Saravanan said the government was initiating a blueprint on centralised labour quarters including migrant workers to accord better standards and conducive living environments.
"We hope to achieve this in five years, and after that, anyone outside the centralised labour quarters are illegal.
"The government has also agreed on the implementation of eWages to monitor the payment of wages to workers.
"The mechanism for the implementation will be announced in due course after consultation and engagement with industries and employers," he added.
Commenting on the recruitment of foreign workers for all sectors, particularly those from Bangladesh and Indonesia, Saravanan said they had received some 200,000 applications from Bangladesh.
"As for Indonesia, both countries are expected to sign an agreement on the matter on March 17 in Bali, Indonesia," he added.
Meanwhile, Saravanan said there was no change in quota in the hiring of foreign workers at nasi kandar restaurants nationwide.
"This is because we want to give opportunity to locals to work too," he added.
On a separate matter, Saravanan said they were waiting for approval from all members of parliament to increase the paternity leave from three to seven days.
"I have submitted to increase the paternity leave from three to seven days. Now, it is up to the MPs to approve it or not," he added.