Several organizations have come forward to request the government to have a relook into the decision to extend the freeze on the hiring of foreign workers as it will have a big impact on businesses that have started to open up.
The SME Association of Malaysia stated that many industries such as the furniture, plantation, agriculture and manufacturing sector need workers.
They added that the government needs to provide a workable solution as everywhere there is a shortage of workers but there is no assistance on the matter by the relevant authorities.
The Real Estate and Housing Developers Association Malaysia claimed that the industry needed workers and the government had to look at it in a totally wholesome manner.
The association stated that the extended freeze would lead to an increase in the cost of doing business and would indirectly promote the use of illegal workers in the country.
Also, they said, since sectors such as construction and plantation are the industries that Malaysians have been shying away from, the issue of ‘taking jobs away’ from locals does not arise.
The Malaysian Maid Employers Association said it is better for the government to have a SOP in place to allow fully vaccinated foreign workers and domestic helpers to come into the country and work.
The Malaysian Association of Foreign Maid Agencies (Papa) said it hopes domestic helpers would be allowed to come as soon as possible to resolve issues such as aged parents who are sent to nursing homes due to the non-availability of domestic helpers.
On October 19 Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M.Saravanan announced that the freeze on foreign workers, including domestic helpers, will be extended until Dec 31, 2021.
-HR HUB
