Indonesia welcomes policy changes involving foreign workers - Saifuddin Nasution

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- Indonesia has welcomed the policy changes and the alignment of foreign worker management function in Malaysia, says Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Saifuddin said the matter was discussed during his meeting with Indonesian Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly yesterday, among other things, in conjunction with the working visit of delegations from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources to the country.

Indonesia is the first source country for foreign workers visited by the delegations following the meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Joko Widodo earlier this month.

Saifuddin said in a statement today, he had explained the policy changes in Malaysia on the alignment of the management of foreign workers including the  Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan and the extension of the Recalibration Plan for Illegal Immigrants 2.0 which will tackle manpower needs in critical sectors to drive the country's economic development, adding that discussions will be held at the official level between the two countries.

He said the meeting with the Indonesian ministers also touched on the enforcement of immigration and labour laws involving Indonesian workers, the management of the repatriation of prisoners and immigration detainees as well as coordination actions to minimise the risk of foreign workers being taken advantage of by irresponsible parties.

"Also discussed were the reduction of migration time and costs related to the hiring of foreign workers as well as optimising the use of digital technology for system integration and facilitating the monitoring of the workers," he said.

The discussion also involved cooperation in immigration and border control to ensure the sovereignty and security of both countries, he added.

-- BERNAMA