PKR Youth has flayed the government for its explanation on outsourcing the management of a centralised foreign worker permit system to MyEG Services Bhd.

The move was implemented to eliminate the “middlemen” culture and overcrowding at immigration booths by foreign workers, Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was quoted as saying by Bernama yesterday.

PKR Youth information chief Lee Chean Chung said the explanation was “wild” and “irresponsible” and affects the image of the ministry and country.

“This gives a picture that the entire staff of the ministry are involved in bribery,” Lee said, adding that with his statement, Wan Junaidi was confirming that there was corruption taking place in the ministry.

Lim also challenged Wan Junaidi to provide relevant evidence on the matter and to stop making government staff as well as middlemen the “scapegoats” in the foreign worker permits issue.

The Semambu assemblyperson added that Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as well as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should also pursue the matter.

“As responsible and professional ministers (Zahid and Wan Junaidi), it is not hard for them to take a proactive approach to solve this issue as well as to cooperate with the MACC to punish those who are guilty,” Lim said in a statement today.

'Redundant to award contract to MyEG'

Meanwhile, Bukit Mertajam MP Sim Chee Keong reiterated that it was redundant to award MyEG the contract when another company has already been commissioned to do so.

“The government appointed NERS Sdn Bhd to provide the National Enforcement and Registration System to record and monitor the migration of foreign workers to Malaysia. The company was given a 12-year concession

“The question is, why should MyEG be appointed as a middleman to do this, when NERS Sdn Bhd already has a 12-year contract to do this?,” Sim (right) asked in a statement today.

He called on the Malaysian cabinet to review the matter immediately as under the new arrangement; employers need to pay RM38 extra to MyEG, on top of the normal permit processing fees.

Earlier this month, Department of Immigration announced that it has closed its counters, starting Jan 5, for Visit Pass (Temporary Employment) extension applications, with notices telling employers to apply online via MyEG instead.

The move, which was supposed to eradicate congestion at immigration counters and battle the involvement of middlemen, has received criticisms from several groups, including MCA and other opposition parties.