Latest news with #Fomema
New Straits Times
26-05-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Expert: Fomema gaps let syndicates slip through
KUALA LUMPUR: A security expert has called on the government to tighten oversight of the Foreign Workers' Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema), citing weak inter-agency coordination and poor system checks that have left the agency vulnerable to exploitation by criminal syndicates. Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia's (UPNM) Faculty of Defence Studies and Management Professor Dr Mohd Mizan Aslam said the current Fomema system lacked a comprehensive verification process, making it susceptible to identity fraud and document forgery. "Although the system is centralised, the database and monitoring mechanisms are not thorough. This opens the door for syndicates to manipulate data and forge health certificates," he told the New Straits Times. He said Fomema currently processed medical certifications based solely on submitted documents, without verifying whether foreign workers had criminal records, previous deportations, or were using false identities. "This loophole has serious implications. Without accurate identity verification — via biometrics or inter-agency checks — syndicates will continue to exploit the system," he added. Mizan comments come in the wake of a recent crackdown by the Immigration Department on a forgery syndicate capable of producing up to 100 fake passports daily. The syndicate, which charged between RM100 and RM150 per fake passport, also manipulated the biodata of undocumented migrants to obtain Fomema health clearances. These forged medical documents were sold for between RM600 and RM1,000 each. He said this exposed clear weaknesses in the system, adding that syndicates were not just bypassing immigration rules, but also public health safeguards. "This situation could lead to the return of diseases like tuberculosis and hepatitis B, especially as infected individuals from countries with weaker healthcare systems go undetected," he said. "Malaysia has successfully controlled these diseases through vaccination and health campaigns. But without effective screening, they could resurface and strain our health infrastructure." Mizan said that while international passport systems were generally secure, Fomema documents lacked similar safeguards. "Unlike passports, Fomema certificates do not have tamper-proof features like QR codes or digital watermarks. This makes them easier to forge and abuse," he said. To address the issue, Mizan urged the government to introduce biometric verification for all foreign worker medical screenings, strengthen access control to Fomema's database, and integrate its system with immigration and law enforcement agencies. He also proposed placing certified integrity officers at key government departments to monitor compliance and prevent internal collusion. While acknowledging growing concerns over the agency's integrity, Mizan stressed that Fomema should not be dismantled but reformed. "We shouldn't abandon Fomema. We need to upgrade its technology, tighten control mechanisms, and improve coordination across agencies so it can fulfil its role in safeguarding national interests," he said.
New Straits Times
26-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Forgers earn millions from fake passports, work passes
KUALA LUMPUR: Document forgery syndicates are believed to be earning millions of ringgit each year by producing fake passports and Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) for foreign job seekers in Malaysia. One such syndicate uncovered by the Immigration Department was reportedly charging between RM100 and RM150 per passport and capable of producing up to 100 fake passports a day. The syndicate was also found altering the biodata of undocumented foreigners to obtain approval from the Foreign Workers' Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema). Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban told Utusan Malaysia that certain syndicates were offering passports from specific countries to undocumented migrants using authentic passports with falsified biodata. This was done to facilitate the approval process for Fomema health screenings. Zakaria said these services were offered for around RM200 per case, including arrangements for the medical check-up at selected clinics. "There are syndicates offering forged passports specifically for Fomema purposes, charging RM100 to RM150 each. "These illegal activities are believed to produce 50 to 100 passports per day." he said. The syndicates were mainly forging passports from foreign worker source countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Indonesia. Zakaria said the syndicates typically used genuine passports belonging to other individuals, and altered the biodata and internal pages at a cost of RM1,000 to RM1,500 per passport. He said some syndicates would use the forged passport details to apply for Fomema approval, which involved an additional cost of RM600 to RM1,000 per document. "Most of these operations are based in business premises and condominiums to avoid detection and are equipped with printers to produce fake documents," he said. However, the number of passport forgery syndicates has decreased following Malaysia's shift towards digitalisation, including the adoption of e-passports and mobile passport readers. "The Immigration Department is now equipped with tools that help us determine whether a document is fake or genuine, so those with forged documents cannot escape scrutiny. "This is evident as only 27 arrests related to forged passes were made up to April this year, compared to 221 last year, while 57 arrests were recorded for fake passports in 2024."
Free Malaysia Today
26-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Document fraud syndicates make millions a year, says immigration DG
Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said document fraud syndicates are becoming fewer in number due to the move by many countries towards digital systems. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Document fraud syndicates rake in millions of ringgit a year from selling fake passports and temporary work visit passes, according to immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban. He was reported as saying by Utusan Malaysia that his department had found that such syndicates charge from RM100 to RM150 per passport, and produce around 100 passports a day. Zakaria said these syndicates offer passports from certain countries to foreigners without travel documents, creating new sets of biodata for potential clients to apply for health check-ups with the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency 0r Fomema. He said they charge about RM200 for this service and to arrange for appointments with certain clinics. 'These syndicates tend to falsify passports from countries listed as providers of foreign labour such as Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia,' he said. Zakaria said these syndicates also charge RM1,000 to RM1,500 to amend the details of legitimate passports. 'Most of these syndicates operate from (legitimate) business premises and condominium units to hide from the immigration department,' he said. However, he said such syndicates are becoming fewer in number due to the move by many countries, including Malaysia, towards digital systems with e-passes and mobile passport readers that can detect document fraud. 'The department now has equipment that enables us to check for fakes. As of April this year, we made 27 arrests related to fake pass syndicates, compared with 221 the previous year,' he said. Zakaria said his department is also looking into procuring more powerful equipment to strengthen its enforcement capabilities. 'The use of mobile passport readers has been a great help to our officials in operations,' he said.
The Star
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Catching infectious diseases in foreign workers before they spread
As a developing nation, Malaysia's economy is heavily reliant on foreign labour, who play a vital role in supporting several of our economic sectors. Currently, foreign workers are sourced from 15 countries for seven critical sectors, which are manufacturing, construction, domestic work, agriculture, hospitality and services, mining, and farming. As of December 2024, the Immigration Department reported over 2.3 million foreign workers in the country, making up 14.6% of the total workforce. The government's policy under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan 2021-2025 (RMK12) is to cap the proportion of foreign workers at no more than 15% of the total national workforce. According to data from the Human Resources Ministry (as of Sept 30, 2024), the majority of foreign workers are employed in the manufacturing sector, with a total of 771,327 individuals, followed by construction (698,407), and hospitality and services (448,572). With so many of them here, health screening for foreign workers is not only essential for their personal well-being, but also important in our public health management strategy. This is where the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema) comes in. 'Somebody needs to screen them so there is reduced risk of infection to our community. 'Delayed detection could lead to outbreaks, increased healthcare strain and potential risks to the local population,' says Fomema's medical division general manager Dr Mohd Ridzal Mohd Zainal. Prior to arriving here (legally), all foreign workers have to pass a medical examination at the source country. Dr Mohd Ridzal explains: 'After the medical screening, they are permitted to go back home until their permit is approved to work in Malaysia, so during this gap period, they can contract an infectious disease because they are not being quarantined. 'Bear in mind, those who are here legally also mingle with illegal or undocumented workers, so there is a risk of getting infectious diseases. 'Guidelines from each source country are different from ours, hence annual medical screening has been mandatory since December 2023 so we don't miss any diseases.' Tuberculosis tops list Once they arrive here, these workers have to go for another comprehensive medical examination conducted at Fomema-appointed clinics, which includes a physical examination, blood/urine test and chest X-ray to detect tuberculosis (TB). Fomema screens for eight infectious diseases that create the biggest impact on public health. If the workers pass, they can proceed to get their work permit. Last year (2024), Fomema's records show that there were more than 15,000 cases of communicable diseases, with TB being the most prevalent, followed by hepatitis B and filariasis (see pie chart above). 'The data includes newly-arrived cases plus those who are already here. 'The cases among new arrivals are fewer because the government has imposed a strict quota on the number of new arrivals. 'Although less than 1% of foreign workers have been diagnosed with these eight diseases, there is still a risk as they could transmit them to others. 'If we detect the diseases through our medical examination, the workers will be deported,' says Dr Mohd Ridzal. Due to governmental sensitivity, he is unable to share which countries the foreign workers typically afflicted with infectious diseases usually come from. But the top three diseases and their source countries have been consistent since 2021. He says: 'TB is endemic in these countries; Malaysia is also endemic for TB, but the percentage is small. 'If they have active TB, we treat them first before sending them back as they are infectious to others. 'But if they have latent TB (non-active), we send them back immediately.' He points out that detecting TB via a chest X-ray is globally accepted and cost efficient, although the interpretation must be correct. The X-rays are monitored digitally by Fomema's radiologists via their X-ray quality control centre. 'If the quality indicator is not met, we will instruct the panel to redo the X-ray. 'Most TB transmission is through a cough, i.e. the respiratory system, so if they have active TB, the bacteria will travel from the lungs to the mouth and into the air. 'Latent TB has the potential to become active and we don't know when that will happen, hence those with latent TB are not permitted to work in Malaysia,' he says. Having said that, Dr Mohd Ridzal adds that those with a previous Covid-19 infection could also have scarring in the lungs, so if the doctor is unsure whether the scarring is due to TB or post-Covid infection, Fomema refers the case to a specialist to confirm diagnosis. 'For hepatitis B, we detect it every year. 'This viral infection causes no or few symptoms, so if the workers don't go for screening, they don't know they have it. 'The detection of this disease helps alert the foreign worker and guides employers on appropriate follow-ups.' Detection does not necessarily mean active disease or transmissibility, but it allows appropriate treatment to be administered before they are repatriated. Burden of 'new' disease Filariasis was included in Fomema's health screening in December 2023 and quickly shot to the third spot the following year. 'We were quite shocked at the numbers and realise the burden is there. 'It's a disease where their leg starts to swell because there are worms inside,' says Dr Mohd Ridzal. Filariasis is caused by several round, coiled and thread-like parasitic worms belonging to the family Filariodidea. This parasite is transmitted by various mosquito species, including those in the genera Culex, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Aedes, Mansonia and Ochlerotatus, depending on the geographic area. Most of these vectors are present in Malaysia. There are different types of filariasis, with the common one being lymphatic filariasis (LF), also known as elephantiasis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system. The painful and profoundly disfiguring manifestations of the disease – lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal swelling – occur later in life and can lead to permanent disability. People affected by LF are not only physically disabled, but also suffer mental, social and financial losses, contributing to stigma and poverty. In 2023, 657 million people in 39 countries were living in areas that require preventive chemotherapy to stop the spread of infection. Dr Mohd Ridzal says: 'The treatment for filariasis is part of a global programme in collaboration with our Health Ministry and WHO. 'However, we have not established it yet so we have to repatriate them until the programme is established. 'Once the treatment begins and the worm is dead, foreign workers can continue working in Malaysia.' Similarity with locals For non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the trend is similar to our Malaysian population with diabetes, heart disease and hypertension (high blood pressure) topping the list. Signs of active TB (within red circles) can be seen in this chest X-ray. — Fomema Dr Mohd Ridzal says: 'I think when they come here, they follow our culture, and eating and lifestyle patterns! 'If they have diabetes, then we have to make sure it is controlled – we are not so hard on them if they can manage it well. 'There is a process we follow, and if the diabetes is still uncontrolled or worsens, then they cannot work. 'However, for communicable diseases, we have to take swift action, report the disease to local health authorities to carry out contact tracing, etc – just like during the early days of Covid-19.' Overcoming challenges Some of the challenges in tackling communicable diseases include unsuitable/unhygienic living conditions, e.g. in restaurants and rumah kongsi (shared facilities) with poor ventilation. Dr Mohd Ridzal says: 'TB treatment is free for everyone, but foreign workers are unaware of this, or maybe they are afraid of the consequences of losing their job if they get treated. 'There is also a risk of losing their legal status for those with latent TB so they try to avoid the system – sometimes, it's difficult to get them to undergo treatment as they run away. 'The danger of the disease itself becoming an outbreak is more than the cost of treatment.' If they go for an X-ray, they can get treated for active TB, but their chances of getting a work permit is gone. 'We're still trying to improve our system to see how to overcome this because we need them to grow our businesses,' says Dr Mohd Ridzal. One suggestion is to allow those with latent TB to work, but monitor them every few months, while those with active TB can get a conditional work permit after completing treatment. Fomema's pre-screening results are confidential, but once the foreign worker is diagnosed with a communicable disease, he or she is unfortunately blacklisted. In the works is an app for foreign workers to manage health conditions such as diabetes. 'When you ask a foreign worker what is his address, he doesn't know, so we are working with the Home Ministry on how to locate them so we can do the contact tracing faster in the event of a communicable disease. 'We also need to have safety awareness among employers because having a healthy lifestyle is important for every worker,' he concludes.
Free Malaysia Today
19-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Business group hits out at Fomema policy changes hurting SMEs
The Federation of Malaysian Business Associations said the decision to reject foreign workers with treatable non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol is unfair. PETALING JAYA : The Federation of Malaysian Business Associations (FMBA) has called on the government to intervene in policy changes by the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema), warning that they place undue financial and operational pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This comes after Fomema revised its policy in December 2023, requiring a mandatory yearly health screening instead of every two years. This resulted in an increase in costs for male workers from RM190 to RM207, and from RM207 to RM217 for female workers. FMBA chairman Abdul Malik Abdullah claimed that Fomema made the changes without proper stakeholder consultation and imposed unexpected costs on SMEs that already operate on tight margins. 'The announcement of these changes came just one day before implementation, leaving many SMEs unprepared for the sudden costs and operational adjustments,' he said in a statement today. He also criticised the decision to reject foreign workers diagnosed with common but manageable non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. 'NCDs are prevalent among working Malaysian adults, who continue to contribute to the productivity and growth of the nation. 'NCDs are also treatable and controllable. Countries such as the UK, Japan, Germany, India and China do not impose this requirement,' he said. The association also raised concerns over the lack of access to medical reports for both employers and foreign workers, despite footing the bill for screenings. 'Employers, having funded these screenings, should have the right to relevant health information,' Malik said. He said these new medical rules are being layered on top of other rising costs for SMEs, including a multi-tiered foreign worker levy, minimum wage hikes, EPF and Perkeso contributions, and the rollout of e-invoicing. 'FMBA calls for a halt to these practices by Fomema and a review with the relevant stakeholders on the rationale and regulatory impacts of these changes to SMEs,' he said.
