Tough penalties for companies violating labor and immigration laws

The Ministry of Human Resources (KSM) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) will increase enforcement activities and take strict action against employers who fail to comply with labor and immigration laws and any fraudulent activities carried out by employers during the Workforce Recalibration Program (RTK).

Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar told Bernama that firms and private employment agencies that violate foreign worker application and recruitment laws will be blacklisted.

“The issue is being looked into seriously by the government, and several efforts have been taken to address this matter.

“We also help foreign workers who are experiencing problems due to employers abusing RTK through the Employer Exchange Program. And new employers will be screened by the Department of Employment and Labour and the Department of Immigration before the worker is handed over to them,” he said in a statement today.

In reaction to media reports, Sivakumar said Malaysia has a big intake of foreign workers due to forced labor.

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The minister said the government had reviewed the RTK program that stopped since 18 March. They realized that employers were abusing the flexibility given to them. To the extent that the approved quota exceeded the employers’ actual needs.

“This has undoubtedly caused many foreign workers to face difficult situations such as not being paid wages. Not being given jobs, and not being provided with accommodation conducive to the country’s laws.

“The government has decided that there is no more approval for new quotas. And it will manage the entry of workers based on the approved quota to ensure that the number of foreign workers in Malaysia does not exceed 2.4 million by 2025,” he said.

The Ministry of Health would like to explain that managing foreign workers in Malaysia is subject to the principle of prioritizing local workers. He said that requests from employers depend on their actual needs based on the criteria set by the government by sector.