BY NURA V LORNA & ELVINA TING
KUCHING: The Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) is studying Sabah and Sarawak’s foreign worker management mechanisms as a possible model to improve the management of foreign workers in peninsula.
Its Secretary-General, Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof, said both states had established systems involving their respective state governments, making the approval process more organised and efficient.
“I understand that Sabah and Sarawak have their own mechanisms, and the management of foreign workers here is well organised because it also involves the state governments in the approval process.
“We will study the positive aspects of these systems and see how they can be adapted in the peninsula to create a more strategic, effective and efficient management process that benefits the country’s economy,” he said.
He said this after officiating at the Sarawak-level Trade Union Affairs Programme (PHEKS) Grant Presentation at the Waterfront Hotel here today.
Azman said the ministry was studying foreign worker management from various perspectives involving both KESUMA and the state governments.
He said the exercise followed the government’s recent decision on foreign worker management and was expected to streamline the process while supporting economic growth.
“The peninsula has a much larger foreign workforce involving workers from various countries and sectors.
“With the government’s recent decision, we hope to implement a more strategic, effective and efficient management system that will have a positive impact on the country’s economy,” he added.
Yesterday (Wednesday, July 1), Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, announced that the government would restructure foreign worker management by placing the One Stop Centre for Foreign Worker Management under KESUMA.
The decision was reached during a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers, which Zahid chaired at Parliament.
He said the move aimed to improve coordination and efficiency while better aligning the management system with industry needs.
