Malaysia starts to legalise foreign workers

Several lakh undocumented Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia are likely to avail an opportunity for regularisation as the country’s government is set to begin today the process of regularising foreign workers on certain conditions, including submission of requisition by the local employers.

The Malaysian authorities will complete regularisation of foreign workers ‘without the involvement of the third parties and vendors,’ a Bangladesh diplomat said, referring to a statement made by Malaysian home minister Hamzah Zainuddin in the past week.

The minister said that undocumented migrant workers, who have been stranded in Malaysia overstaying in the country for long time, would also be allowed to return home voluntarily, according to freemalaysiatoday.com.

For the time being, the employers operating in four ‘dangerous, difficult and dirty’ sectors will be allowed to take undocumented foreign workers under the recalibration plan, he said.

The sectors are construction, manufacturing, plantation and agriculture, in which several lakh Bangladeshi workers are employed.

The governments of the two countries do not have specific information about how many undocumented Bangladeshis are now staying in Malaysia, according to diplomatic sources in both sides.

The number of undocumented Bangladeshis might be two to three lakh, out of about 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers who are now employed in various sectors in Malaysia, said a Bangladesh official. 

Undocumented workers from 15 countries, including Bangladesh, will be allowed to avail the opportunity for regularisation.

The freeze on the intake of new foreign workers will remain in force during the process of regularisation until June 30, 2021, according to the announcement.

The Malaysian government took the decision for regularising foreign workers in a move to help certain economic sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and enforcement efforts of the authorities to contain the disease.

People staying outside Malaysia for any reason, including the pandemic situation, are highly unlikely to get the opportunity for regularisation.

About 25,000 Bangladeshi workers returned home on leave but could not return to their workplaces due to the pandemic situation, an official said.    

Bangladesh acting high commissioner in Malaysia Mohammad Khorshed Alam Khastagir told New Age on Sunday, ‘We are working with the Malaysian government to chalk out operational plans on how to serve the interest of workers from Bangladesh.’ 

The high commission requested the Bangladeshis willing to avail the opportunity ‘not to make financial transaction with anyone’ as no agent is allowed to engage in the process, according to an announcement made on the Facebook page of the high commission.

‘The employer or the employing company will directly contact the immigration department seeking regularisation of their own workers,’ it said.

The high commission will continue to make public announcement on extending support to the expatriate workers on its Facebook page and web site and through the media, Khastagir added.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net