MALAYSIA SET TO INTRODUCE DIRECT HIRING OF FOREIGN WORKERS

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By: Balogun Ibrahim

The Malaysian government plans to launch a new digital platform enabling employers to hire foreign workers directly, eliminating the need for private recruitment agents that have long dominated the process.

According to reports by Economic Times and The Malaysian Reserve, sighted by The Media on Tuesday, the initiative was announced by Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister, Datuk Ramakrishnan. It is aimed at reducing recruitment costs, curbing exploitation, and increasing transparency in the country’s foreign labour market.

Ramakrishnan noted that reliance on intermediaries has exposed foreign workers to issues such as excessive recruitment fees, debt bondage, and elements of modern slavery.

“The issue has been repeatedly raised in Parliament and highlighted in the media. Our goal is to eliminate the middleman problem,” he said, as reported by The Malaysian Reserve.

Addressing Recruitment Abuse

Ramakrishnan stated that foreign workers are often charged high recruitment fees even before leaving their home countries. Many are forced to take out loans to cover these costs, leaving them in debt upon arrival in Malaysia. In some instances, workers are also placed in jobs that differ significantly from what they were initially promised.

He noted that concerns over recruitment abuses have been raised repeatedly in Parliament and by civil society groups, prompting the government to move decisively away from the agent-driven model.

How the Platform Will Work

Under the proposed system, Malaysian employers will be able to connect directly with prospective foreign workers through a centralised digital platform.

Job descriptions, wages, and employment conditions will be clearly displayed and agreed upon before contracts are signed, helping to reduce the risk of misrepresentation.

The platform is expected to streamline the hiring process, lower costs, and improve oversight of foreign labour recruitment in Malaysia.