KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 6): Foreign worker recruitment platform operator Bestinet Sdn Bhd’s founder Datuk Seri Aminul Islam has denied any misconduct and direct involvement in the recruitment process of foreign workers, following a Bloomberg report linking him and an associate to an investigation of alleged money laundering, extortion and trafficking of foreign workers.
In a statement, Aminul’s lawyer Datuk N Sivananthan said the digital platform dubbed Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS) and operated by Bestinet is “designed to protect foreign workers and minimise the risk of exploitation”, and that Amin is not involved in activities “beyond the officially sanctioned scope of Bestinet’s technology services”.
FWCMS, the statement said, is a "centralised digital platform" that facilitates the recruitment and documentation of foreign workers, designed to ensure lawful, transparent and secure recruitment exclusively through government channels.
“Importantly, neither Datuk Seri Amin nor Bestinet engages in recruitment processes or has any direct interactions with recruitment agencies or potential hires in Bangladesh or elsewhere.
“Bestinet’s role is strictly limited to providing implementation and technical support for FWCMS, while all recruitment decisions remain solely under the purview of the relevant government authorities in Malaysia and Bangladesh,” the statement read.
In the article published on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that Bangladeshi police had requested Malaysia to arrest and extradite two individuals, including the company’s founder and shareholder Aminul, who was alleged of extorting Bangladeshi workers coming into the country.
Citing its review of a copy of a letter from Bangladesh's branch of Interpol to its Malaysian counterpart, Bloomberg said the police in Bangladesh had also asked Malaysia to stop using Bestinet’s software, which has been used since at least 2018 by the government in processing foreign workers that enter the country.
Bestinet’s contract, which ended in end-May this year, was extended in principle by the Cabinet sometime in the middle of this year, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail was reported as saying in June. The extension was for another three years. Prior to that, the 2022 Auditor General’s Report, which was released in 2023, revealed that there were no signed agreements between the government and Bestinet, which meant Putrajaya’s rights were undetermined.
“Following the recent extension of Bestinet’s services by the Malaysian Cabinet, Bestinet has further enhanced governance protocols to maintain alignment with evolving regulatory standards and to reinforce its commitment to ethical foreign worker management,” Bestinet's Wednesday statement read.
“Datuk Seri Amin and Bestinet firmly reject any suggestions of misconduct and remain committed to delivering a transparent, secure, and accountable foreign worker management solution.
“Bestinet continues to operate under formal government contracts and pledges to maintain open communication with all stakeholders as it uphold Malaysia’s high standards for foreign worker protection,” it added.