The government to discuss on new plans to hire foreign workers

JOHOR BAHRU - The government through the Home Affairs Ministry will further discuss on the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan following a work visit to Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia at the end of this month.

According to its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, the work visit scheduled at the end of January will discuss the plan for several critical sectors in the country such as manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture and services.

"I will be in Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia for four days to personally discuss this plan and issues, especially on policy changes with my collegues there.

"Hopefully it will help ease the process for employers (in this country) who are in need of workers," he said after working visit at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) here today.

Saifuddin said this in response to a statement by Human Resource Minister, V. Sivakumar regarding a total of 500,000 foreign workers who will be brought into the country in stages through the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan in order to overcome the lack of workers problem in the critical sectors mentioned.

Saifuddin also expressed his hopes that the meeting with his colleagues in all the countries (Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh) would produce positive results.

Saifuddin said he hoped that all countries concerned will give their cooperation.

"Hopefully from this notification, the source countries (Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh) will provide significant cooperation that will lead to a successful policy change," Saifuddin said.