KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 22): The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) said on Tuesday (Feb 22) Malaysia should "put a halt" to greedy recruitment agents profiteering from job-seeking foreign workers in line with a zero debt bondage commitment in an open and transparent recruitment environment.
MARGMA said in a statement the long-standing debt-bondage recruitment policy, which has resulted in the charging of exorbitant fees to job-seeking foreign workers, has only benefitted unscrupulous recruitment agents in source countries and victimised foreign workers and employers in hiring countries.
"The workers should not be held under duress to borrow money and start their employment in Malaysia with a debt to agents. MARGMA believes that our government is aware of these excessive fees and will hopefully establish a resolution with the source country's government to eradicate the exorbitant recruitment fees to unburden workers and their benevolent employers.
"Transparency on actual recruitment fees from source countries will be key to facilitate this process and promote understanding to all potential employers and recruitment agents. This will then become the benchmark for recruitment agents, hence doing away with arbitrary and excessive recruitment fees.
"Fees imposed should be fair and reasonable to both the workers and the employers to ensure employment is justified for the industry to operate," MARGMA said.
MARGMA said its members, which are largely investing in the glove manufacturing industry's expansion in Malaysia, support an open policy for future investments to create greater job opportunities for both foreign workers and local employees.
The statement by MARGMA is in response to a recent statement by the Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation, which called on all stakeholders to adopt an open, transparent and equitable policy towards the recruitment of workers, according to MARGMA.
"MARGMA members which are stakeholders are aware of what to expect and respects this call," MARGMA said.