This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on April 20, 2026 - April 26, 2026

A familiar name has resurfaced amid reports that the Ministry of Human Resources is exploring using a new artificial intelligence (AI)-driven system for streamlining the entry of foreign workers into the country: Bestinet Sdn Bhd.

Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan, who initially denied that Bestinet was involved in the new system, has since backtracked on that statement, saying the government is open to considering a proposal by the company, and is currently discussing how the mechanism can be effectively implemented.

This development is baffling and raises several questions, chief of which is why the government is continuing to rely on the private sector to handle the entry of foreign workers into the country. Why can’t the government, through the Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Home Affairs, handle the documentation and screening of foreign workers on their own?

And how will the new system fit into the existing infrastructure? The government is currently using the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System — which, incidentally, is maintained by Bestinet — which is set to be replaced with the National Integrated Immigration System, or NIISe, in 2028.

Also, how did Bestinet’s proposal come about? Was there a request for proposal?

Moreover, the allegations hanging over the company’s founder, Datuk Seri Aminul Islam Abdul Nor, cannot be ignored. He continues to face allegations in Bangladesh regarding irregularities pertaining to the supply of labour from that country to Malaysia under the previous Sheikh Hasina administration.

While Aminul has consistently denied any wrongdoing, the Bangladesh government requested his extradition in October 2024 to answer those charges. The Malaysian authorities have yet to grant the request.

Meanwhile, Aminul’s and Bestinet’s names continue to crop up in issues related to the recruitment of Bangladeshis for overseas work. Just two weeks ago, the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) submitted a memorandum to Dhaka, raising concerns over the alleged abuse of the recruitment process. It demanded that individuals who commit such acts be brought back to the country to face the full force of the law.

No doubt the use of AI to process foreign worker applications will simplify the recruitment process and likely reduce the work of middlemen and agents. But how can AI eliminate the exploitation of workers?

As former lawmaker Charles Santiago rightly questioned, how will the system stop forced labour violations? Indeed, how will AI prevent unscrupulous agents from charging Bangladeshis extortionate fees amounting to thousands of ringgit each, just to find a job in countries such as Malaysia?

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