PETALING JAYA: Employers who treat their foreign workers well will have nothing to fear from the proposal to penalise companies that exploit their employees, says Plantations and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
He said the government needs to act swiftly to address the prolonged issue of foreign workers in Malaysia being deceived.
He said this in reply to Malaysian Manufacturers Federation (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai's objection to the proposal to fine companies RM30,000 for each worker that they failed to provide jobs for.
"The FMM cannot point fingers because agencies cannot apply for quotas without first getting demands from companies.
"If there is proof that agencies are using fake documents to artificially increase the quota asked for, then the agencies would be fined heftily.
"Again, I stress that companies which do not exploit the recruitment process will not be fined and should not be worried," he said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 6).
The Titiwangsa MP said the proposal was meant to deter unscrupulous parties from exploiting the system.
He added that the proposed fines are commensurate with the offences committed and would also cover the costs of repatriating the foreign workers, which are currently borne by the government.
Johari said it is also crucial that the recruitment processes for foreign workers be further tightened by only approving companies' quotas when they apply.
"The issue here is there's a possibility that some companies are asking for quotas of foreign workers without having any opening for jobs....they are just trying to make money by selling quotas to other companies. This is deemed as human trafficking or forced labour," he said.
Johari said companies that submit an application for the foreign workers need to ensure that jobs are readily available in the country, adding that those who do not have jobs on arrival in Malaysia are a major burden on the country's resources.
"More often than not, these poor workers cannot afford to go back to their country and end up soaking up resources in terms of subsidies and healthcare, besides also creating other social problems," he said.
He made the proposal on Wednesday (Jan 3) during the Cabinet meeting and said the issue had been impacting all sectors, including the plantation sector, which is facing a labour shortage.
Johari said he was compelled to present the proposal following reports on the detention of 171 Bangladeshi workers on Dec 25 when they turned up at the Bayu Damai police station in Kota Tinggi, Johor to lodge a report against their agent who allegedly failed to provide them with jobs.
