Following allegations that ten recruiting agencies were monopolizing labour recruitment, Malaysian government suspended the appointment of new workers. Though giant technical committee meetings were held between Bangladesh and Malaysia, the issue is not clear as yet.
Now the Malaysian government has informed that an online job portal will be opened, through which workers will be appointed. Malaysian human resources minister said: this will be finalized in a few months and workers will be taken from Bangladesh and Nepal.
As per the statistics of the Bureau of Manpower and Training, 18,893 persons went to Malaysia in November, 2018 followed by 1,476 in December, 2018. In January, February and March, 21, 14 and 20 persons went to Malaysia.
The last time the Malaysian labour market saw stagnation was in 2009.
Then on Nov 26, 2012, a G2G deal was signed between the two governments, followed by G2G plus in February 2016.
However, within 12 hours of signing the MoU, Malaysia said that they will not take workers at this moment which stalled the process of sending workers.
Sending workers began after a Malaysian team led by a minister came in November, 2016, but later, Malaysia declared that instead of the ten agencies, all registered agencies will be able to send workers abroad.
Now the Malaysian human resources ministry sources say that an online job portal is being opened to take new workers. Through this portal, job seekers will be able to find work and employers will be able to appoint people.
Independent Foreign Workers’ Committee has already made a report on the new process, specifying new ways to appoint workers. After cabinet approval, Malaysian companies and individuals can appoint workers.
The portal is being called Malaysian Recruiting Agency, MRA.
The Malaysian recruiter will also have to deposit Malaysian Ringit 250,000 to the government.
If any recruiter fails to pay the wages or mistreats a worker, then compensation will be paid from this security deposit.
Malaysian minister for human resources, M Kulasegaran, says: “The new process is almost final and will start in a few days.”
Several officials of the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia say that the high commission is maintaining regular contact with the Malaysian government and they expect the worker appointment process to start soon.
Meanwhile, the ministry of expatriate welfare and foreign recruitment says that another joint technical committee meet with Malaysian government is forthcoming and the state minister for expatriate welfare has expressed interest to go to Malaysia to activate the moribund labour market.
Secretary of the ministry of expatriate welfare Rounak Jahan, told Bangla Tribune: “The previous system of worker appointment has been cancelled and a new system is coming very soon.”
Secretary General of a manpower exporting agency, BAIRA, Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, says: “The state minister was out of the country and came back recently; we will have a meeting on Malaysia next week and get an update.”