The Human Resources Ministry wants full control over issues related to foreign workers, to overcome difficulties associated with division of duties with other agencies like the Home Ministry.

"The issue of foreign workers should be surrendered to the Human Resources Ministry under the Department of Workers because it is more relevant to our present functions," said Deputy Minister Abdul Rahman Bakar in an interview at his office in Putrajaya yesterday.

"Under the Home Ministry, only one aspect of it (is looked at) - the aspect of security. Perhaps this is so that those who come to Malaysia are not criminals with a bad record in their country of origin."

He explained that the power to approve work permits and regulate the entry of foreign workers lies with the Home Ministry.

His ministry, meanwhile, is responsible for the welfare of the workers. This covers such matters as salaries and deductions, work hours, overtime, days off, housing and medical treatment.

However, problems linked to foreign workers - including their impact on the local population and workforce - have reached critical proportions.

This is why the Human Resources Ministry feels it should have adequate powers and jurisdiction to deal with the issue in a comprehensive and thorough manner, said Abdul Rahman.

"Looking at recent developments, it seems that (safety) is not the only concern that should be assessed. Many other things have to be considered when bringing in foreign workers," he said.

'Terminate VOA'

The influx of foreign workers - who currently number 2.02 million - was due to the decision in the early 1990s to address the critical lack of labour in the construction and plantation sectors.

"It was supposed to have been a temporary measure. I don't know how, but the influx of foreign workers continued - no longer on a temporary basis - to increase and to expand from the construction and agriculture sectors to all the sectors," noted Abdul Rahman.

This has led not only to social problems such as "increasing crimes" and issues of "conflict of cultures", but also an adverse impact on business and work opportunities for locals.

"If the work (and business) opportunities for the domestic population are taken up and adversely affect the rice-bowl of locals, then (foreign workers) are not needed," he said.

Other than those with valid documents, an estimated 600,000 foreigners are illegally working in the country. Another 120,000 more have entered the country as tourists, and have illegally taken up employment or set up business without the required approvals, he said.

For this reason, the practice of issuing the Visa On Arrival (VOA) to tourists by the Immigration Department should either be made more stringent or terminated.

"If it can be done away with, even better, because we have clear evidence that they do not come as tourists but as illegal workers. If we want to keep the VOA, it should be made more stringent. The visas should not be issued here but in their home countries.

"Or there should be more systematic procedures to ensure that, upon the expiry of the visa, they return (home). If we allow them to enter and they do not leave because our enforcement is weak, then things will not work.

"There has to be tight enforcement, arrests, prosecution and so on. Only then can we implement the VOA system. If we are not ready in terms of enforcement and prosecution, then there's no use having the VOA. It only adds to the problems."

Identifying real needs

This is a primary reason why the ministry has embarked on a five-month comprehensive study to determine the actual workforce needs and economic situation, said Abdul Rahman.

Another reason is that recruitment agencies, including labour outsourcing firms, bring in more foreign workers than are actually needed.

"(The agency) states, for example, that a company needs 200 workers. In the letters, they say the company needs 2,000. Alternatively, the company is not in need of foreign workers, but foreign workers are brought in anyway," said Abdul Rahman.

This explains why large groups of foreigners - all of whom have paid various agents to find work in Malaysia - arrive at the airport but are then stranded without any takers, he said.

"The (recruitment) agencies are appointed by the Human Resources Ministry in terms of their legal status. But the permit to bring in foreign workers is issued by the Home Ministry," said Abdul Rahman.

"Agencies are bringing in foreign workers without due consideration to actual needs, security, enforcement, regulations, and so on."

To curb the problem, the ministry will propose a temporary moratorium on the intake of foreign workers as it completes its analysis of its study, which is being conducted with 500,000 companies throughout the country.

"This study is in the form of a census that queries and investigates the actual needs of particular companies in terms of their work force numbers, the various positions, the age, and so on," the deputy minister said.

"Based on the results of this census, by the end of the year, we will be able to form a picture as to what are our domestic and foreign workforce needs."

If the cabinet approves the proposals, the moratorium will take effect early next year as new policies and measures are put in place on the intake of foreign workers, he added.