KUALA LUMPUR: The expression of support from the Bar Council shows that the government is right in standing firm against employers and employment agents on the issue of foreign worker recruitment, says Steven Sim.

       The Human Resources Minister said the ministry’s stand is that every foreign worker brought into the country should be paid a salary after signing a service contract with an employer or employment agent.

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       He said this principle is based on the Employment Act 1955 and several court rulings on the issue of salaries.

       "Our stand is clear; if you want to bring in foreign workers, there must be work available. If, for some reason, work cannot be provided, salaries must still be paid from the day they are brought in.

       "This is important to prevent abuse (of quota by agents) and a situation where workers are left in the lurch at hostels for months without pay,” he told reporters on Friday (Jan 19) after ministry Kesuma Madani programme in conjunction with Thaipusam at Batu Caves.

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       Sim said this would also deter employers from applying for more than the actual number of foreign workers they require.

       On Thursday (Jan 18), Bar Council migrant, refugee and immigration affairs committee joint chairman Datuk Seri M. Ramachelvam praised Sim’s firmness in preventing cases of foreign workers being brought in legally and yet not provided with work by their agents.

       This followed media reports that the number of unemployed foreign workers in the country had exceeded 500,000, which prompted Sim to order an investigation.

       Sim said he also planned to meet the Health Ministry over claims that Fomema had raised the fees and frequency of foreign worker medical examinations without consulting other stakeholders.

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       On the Kesuma Madani programme, he said it is a first by the ministry and will see 200 Wira Kesuma volunteers sent to Batu Caves on Thursday (Jan 25) to help the temple manage logistics during the Thaipusam celebration.

       He said the ministry would also set up a booth at the main tent for the programme to provide employment information and register Indians for technical courses.

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       "The booth will be set up with the cooperation of the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) because we want housewives to register for the Housewives Social Security Scheme (SKSSR) implemented by the Social Security Organisation (Socso).

       "As one million Hindus and visitors are expected to attend the festival, we hope (a large number) will sign up for SKSSR,” he added. – Bernama