KUALA LUMPUR: Migrant activists and business groups are concerned about the constant changes in foreign worker policies.
North-South Initiative executive director Adrian Pereira said placing foreign worker recruitment mainly under the purview of the Home Ministry would result in a lack of checks and balances and lead to conflict of interest.
He called on the government to be transparent over the reason for the shift in purview from the Human Resources Ministry to the Home Ministry.
"Civil societies have been pro-posing that everything related to labour and migration be managed by the Human Resources Ministry and we have different rationales for this.
"When it comes to labour, you need to manage quotas and have the expertise. Asking an agency linked to security to manage it may create a conflict of interest.
"You shouldn't ask the same agency responsible for security enforcement, such as immigration enforcement, to also release or issue quotas."
He said the Independent Committee on the Management of Foreign Workers had recommended that recruitment be placed under the Human Resources Ministry.
He said the constant change in policies could scare investors as it showed that Malaysia's labour supply system was not stable.
Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said the constant flip-flops and knee-jerk changes to foreign worker policies had damaged investor confidence.
He said the changes caused confusion and frustration for employers, in addition to delays in processing and approval. He said delays could be very costly for employers as it affected their ability to get workers in time and meet their order obligations.
"FMM is firm that the management of foreign workers should lie with the Human Resources Ministry, given its core role as the custodian of human resource and labour matters in the country.
"Having a single ministry handling the entire foreign worker employment process, in this case the Human Resources Ministry, is key to ensuring clarity and transparency and greater efficiency of the system and improving investor confidence."
He said although the government had decided to move the One-Stop Centre for the recruitment of foreign workers back to the Home Ministry, the fact was that the Human Resources Ministry still handled many aspects of the matter from a legislative and enforcement perspective.
Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) president Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said it was good that the government was streamlining the process for the recruitment and management of foreign workers.
He said centralising the management of foreign workers under one ministry might ensure more efficient and quicker processing times for approvals and interviews.
"Employers will benefit from clearer communication and reduced bureaucracy, making it easier to manage foreign worker recruitment.
"With the Home Ministry now fully overseeing the recruitment of foreign workers, there could be more consistent policies and regulations, potentially reducing confusion and errors, leading to higher compliance."
He said the transfer of the OSC to the Home Ministry might involve the introduction of new procedures, which could cause temporary disruptions for employers.
"MEF strongly urges all employers to stay informed on new procedures or regulatory changes by the Home Ministry.
"Clear, well-communicated instructions from the Home Ministry will help employers to better understand the new procedures and avoid mistakes that could lead to delays or non-compliance.
"MEF urges the ministry to come up with detailed guidelines on the processes, key points of contact and timeline for each stage of the application process."