PETALING JAYA: Dividing foreign worker management between the Home Ministry and Human Resources Ministry is not only inefficient but counterproductive, says former HR minister M. Kula Segaran.
"A comprehensive study by an independent committee on foreign workers explicitly stated that the Human Resources Ministry should be the sole authority responsible for handling foreign workers," he said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 27).
Kula Segaran, who is now Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms), called for a task force to be set up immediately to implement recommendations outlined in the recently-declassified foreign worker management report.
"It should comprise experts, stakeholders and representatives from relevant sectors to ensure swift and effective execution of the proposed measures.
ALSO READ: Crack down on dubious recruiters, govt urged
"The current situation, where two ministries share responsibility for managing foreign workers, is not in the best interests of our nation, where functions overlap (and) corruption seeps in," he said.
Kula Segaran said giving sole responsibility for foreign workers to the Human Resources Ministry aligns with international best practices and will result in a more efficient, transparent and cohesive system.
ALSO READ: Viral video ‘just tip of the iceberg’
"I urge the relevant authorities to take prompt action and prioritise the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the report," he added.
The report was prepared during his tenure as HR minister in the Pakatan Harapan administration from 2018. It was initially classified in 2019 but published on the HR Ministry's website in October.
According to Kula Segaran, Malaysia stood alone among the 64 countries studied by the committee as having two ministries sharing the responsibility of managing foreign workers.
ALSO READ: Detained Bangladeshi workers should get legal protection, says Lawyers For Liberty
Kula Segaran's comments came after HR Minister Steven Sim indicated he would meet Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to fine-tune foreign worker policies.
This was over the Dec 20 incident when 171 Bangladeshi workers marched together in Pengerang, Johor, to complain about an allegedly exploitative recruitment agent.
The workers were subsequently detained by Immigration authorities for overstaying, prompting an outcry from various quarters including Lawyers For Liberty.
