Human Resources Ministry officers shocked by PSD DG's surprise visit

PUTRAJAYA - Public Services Department (PSD) Director-General Datuk Seri Mohd Shafiq Abdullah made a surprise visit to the Human Resources Ministry, here on Monday.

This follows allegations that there was a cartel in the recruitment of foreign workers from Bangladesh.

Mohd Shafiq, who was clad in a blue shirt and black pants, arrived alone at the ministry at about 12.33pm.

He also took the opportunity to greet several employers who were there, waiting for their turn to deal with the ministry which was now a one stop management centre for foreign workers since April 18.

After over an hour, Mohd Shafiq was seen exiting the building at about 1.57pm and was escorted by three men believed to be from the ministry.

As soon as he left the building, the officers were seen to have breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the surprise visit from him.

Previously, the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) had objected to the government’s decision to only allow 25 agents for the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers and 250 subagents to be involved in recruiting new workers to the country.

The association had viewed this as a further expansion of the cartel power in dominating the foreign labor recruitment industry in both countries.

Baira which comprised over 1,000 members had demanded equal opportunities in the open market system.

It is believed that the move would put an end to the operation of cartels that allegedly raised recruitment costs and violated workers' rights.

On June 7, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan said the ministry had received more than 200,000 online applications for foreign workers from Indonesia, Cambodia and Bangladesh.