PUTRAJAYA: The Human Resources Ministry has denied endorsing a private firm claiming to have an agreement with the Nepali government to provide welfare and protections services for migrant workers.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said the government has communicated the matter to the Nepali mission and is awaiting feedback.
"I would like to emphasise that there is no agreement or endorsement ever issued by the ministry over the matter," he told reporters at a joint press conference with the Home Ministry, here, today
Asked if a private firm would be allowed to offer welfare services to migrant workers in the country, Sim said no such service by a third party should be offered.
"We have informed this to the foreign mission for feedback," he added.
On Tuesday, the New Straits Times reported that a recruitment group had sounded the alarm over a possible RM200 additional fee to hire Nepali nationals to work in Malaysia in the form of welfare fees.
The additional fee, not a part of the employment contract, would have to be paid by employers to the Nepali Embassy through a private firm– Foreign Workers Welfare Management Centre (FWWMC) Sdn Bhd during the attestation period.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/01/999891/additional-rm-200-fee-...
Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that only memorandum of understanding between governments are binding and enforceable.
"The MOUs are government-to-government, binding to both countries," he said.
He also said that the government will revisit all MOUs pertaining to foreign labours with respective source countries.
Earlier, the ministers attended the Third Joint-Meeting between the Home Ministry and Human Resources Ministry on Migrant Workers Management, here.
