HR Ministry to to study Singapore model on managing foreign workers

PUTRAJAYA: The Human Resource Ministry will be studying the Singapore model in managing foreign workers, according its minister, M. Kula Segaran.
He said this was because the city-state recorded a low absconding rate among foreign workers.
"We do not need to go to faraway places like Switzerland on management of foreign workers because Singapore is a success story in this," he told Bernama in an exclusive interview.
He noted that entry of foreign workers to the country would henceforth "go through a fine tooth comb" so as to look after the interests of Malaysian workers.
"Influx of foreign workers who are lowly paid will likewise impact income of locals," he said.
"This does not mean we are stopping them from coming to work here, we encourage that, but they are more suitable for sectors like plantation and industry. Other sectors let our people work in them," he said.
In a related matter, Kula Segaran urged the public to lodge complaints online or by calling his ministry if they came across foreigners involved in business, like retailing.
He said his ministry would step up enforcement to weed out such businessmen who appeared to be dominating some business scenes.
"Priority must be given to Malaysians not foreigners. We must get it right. If they want to engage in business they can do it in their own countries, here they are only allowed to work," he added. — Bernama