KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 ― The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to be set up to “clean up” the procedure of hiring foreign workers, alleging that corruption continued to be practised by those overseeing the approval process.

MTUC Secretary General J. Solomon today suggested the findings from the RCI could help determine and eliminate these corrupt practices related to the intake of foreign workers, of which he claimed the abuses had resulted in human trafficking offences.

Solomon was responding to recent reports that alleged the lack of affirmative action being taken by the government over the matter, namely the Human Resource and Home Affairs Ministry.

Reports had claimed no action was taken despite the government being handed recommendations by the Special Committee on Foreign Worker Management earlier this year, a committee led by former Court of Appeal judge Hishamuddin Yunus.

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Solomon said today that since these recommendations were not acted upon after being submitted in February, it had resulted in the continued suspension of the intake of foreign workers.

“This has resulted in the continued suspension of foreign workers’ intake with the construction, manufacturing, and services industry facing acute shortage of workers that has made their lives difficult,” Solomon said in a statement, referring to employers.

“Building and manufacturers are claiming they have to abandon or fold up their concerns if this continues unabated.”

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Among the special committee’s recommendations, which Solomon endorsed today, was for the removal of absolute power afforded to the Home Minister when approving special quotas, saying such absolute power had led to allegations of corrupt practices.

“While the previous Home Minister has been slapped with many charges for abuses in this area, there are more people involved in the mess that has been left behind,” he said referring to Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who was previously home minister.

“Only an RCI will be able to pinpoint the areas of abuses in the ministries involved and other government agencies and departments that had abused the system,” read his statement.

Solomon also took a swipe at the mooted Foreign Workers Integrated Management System (ePPAx) which is said to cost the government some RM300 million, saying such services served no purpose and were already available through existing channels and agencies.

“This (RM300 million) in our opinion is exorbitant and does not look right for a simple online check with the relevant agencies which does not require any new infrastructure.

“The Foreign Workers Centralised Management System already has a built in link to check these,” he said while questioning the need and price for such a service.

“This is precisely why we are calling for nothing less than an RCI which can make the necessary findings and recommendations to ensure that the nation will not be mired in a mess that has caused the influx of foreign workers even without a job in the first place,” read his statement.

Solomon also suggested that Hishammuddin lead the RCI, saying his committee had previously come up with insightful findings and recommendations.

Last month, Human Resource Minister M. Kulasegaran had said a meeting among the Budget 2020 Focus Group Meeting on Enhancing Employee Welfare and Employment Opportunities between his ministry and the Finance Ministry was scheduled to take place on August 26.

Kulasegaran had said representatives from the National Labour Advisory Council would also be invited to the meeting, where among the topics to be discussed would be details surrounding the ePPAx.