KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — Putrajaya’s unexpected decision to suspend the recruitment of foreign workers here could pose problems for firms that have already obtained approvals for such hires, the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said.
MEF executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan said companies that are in the middle of the recruitment process would stand to lose out if the freeze meant that their new recruits would have to be sent back.
“The freeze needs to be clearly stated on whether it is meant for future hires or for firms that are already in the midst of the recruitment process.
“If it affects the current process, then it is going to cause a problem. This is my worry because the repercussion can be bad for companies who rely heavily on foreign workers… like the 3D industries (dangerous, dirty and difficult),” he told Malay Mail Online.
This morning, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Zahid announced that the government has decided to suspend the intake of foreign workers, including the 1.5 million Bangladeshis offered by Dhaka.
He added that the move was also to urge employers to hire local workers and that the moratorium will remain in effect until Putrajaya is convinced about the actual manpower requirements in the various sectors locally.
Meanwhile, Shamsuddin also expressed hope that the ministry’s rehiring programme involving illegal foreign workers would proceed as planned.
He said this was to ensure that there would be no disruption for companies that have already embarked on the programme, which kicked off Monday.
According to reports, the programme is aimed at giving foreigners currently working illegally in the country the opportunity to obtain valid work permits for the purpose of meeting labour demands in specific sectors.
