KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 21): Putrajaya's approval for the 32,000 foreign workers for the plantation sector remains unchanged in spite of a subsequent announcement to extend its ban on foreign labour into the nation until Dec 31, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Human Resources contacted by The Edge today.

In a Sept 12 statement, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan said he agreed with the government's special grant to allow 32,000 foreign workers back into Malaysia to address the labour shortage in the plantation sector including palm oil.

However, a subsequent statement by the ministry on Sept 19 stated that foreign labour including domestic maids would not be allowed back into Malaysia until Dec 31.

"The special grant for 32,000 foreign plantation workers to be allowed into Malaysia will continue in light of the dire need in the sector. The extension of the ban (on foreign labour) refers to domestic helpers and other industries such as manufacturing. Negotiations for other categories of foreign workers is ongoing," a spokesperson from the Ministry of Human Resources clarified with The Edge.

Any decision to bring in foreign workers, including foreign maids, will be announced by the government after discussions with the National Security Council, Human Resources Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry, Health Ministry and other relevant ministries, the Ministry of Human Resources said.

Meanwhile, SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Michael Kang said the SME Association and Malaysian Employers Federation will appeal for the approval of foreign workers for the manufacturing industry at the National Employment Council tomorrow (Sept 22).

"The economy is starting to open up but the manufacturing industry is still facing productivity issues due to the lack of foreign labour. The manufacturing industry is about 40% down in terms of overall labour, therefore, we too need the approval for foreign workers sooner than the year end," Kang said.