Latest news with #MyFutureJobs
The Star
23-05-2025
- The Star
Eagerness of youths make them ideal targets for job scam syndicates, says Labour Dept
IPOH: Young people eager to secure employment make them ideal targets for Job scam syndicates, says the Labour Department. Its director-general Kamal Pardi said that while forced labour cases involve people of all ages, most are younger individuals, especially after finishing their studies. He said most would be looking for jobs and would not be alert to the fact that some of those contacting them or advertisements they see are actually fake. "They are drawn in by the promises of high salaries and perks," he said after officiating the "Preventing Worker Exploitation: Towards Zero Forced Labour 2030 Roadshow" at a shopping mall here on Friday (May 23). "Some end up lured overseas and become victims of forced labour," he said. Kamal said that the main contributing factor was the lack of awareness among jobseekers. "It's important they learn to identify the signs of a scam, whether the job offer is local or abroad," he said. He advised jobseekers to register with legitimate job-matching platforms such as MyFutureJobs under PERKESO, which replaced the previous JobsMalaysia portal previously managed by the Labour Department. The roadshow is expected to travel from Perak, Kedah, Penang and Perlis, to deliver direct outreach and information to targeted communities.
The Star
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Cross-sector job moves approved for foreign workers
PETALING JAYA: In a move aimed at addressing Malaysia's labour demand, foreign workers in formal sectors will soon be allowed to switch employers across different sectors, a policy welcomed as practical and timely by industry stakeholders. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said detailed guidelines would be announced soon, outlining the terms and procedures involved. 'The guidelines will include the minimum period, workers' consent and the sectors that will be involved,' he said at the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) headquarters yesterday. Currently, foreign workers can only change employers within the same sector in which they are employed. Sim said the new policy would not only help prevent the illegal hiring of foreign workers when they are transferred to a different sector but also ensure that hiring stays within the approved quota limits. The decision was made during the 13th joint committee meeting on foreign worker management, co-chaired by Sim and Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. The formal sectors refer to manufacturing, construction, agriculture, plantation and services. The announcement has been met with support from industry stakeholders. Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said the move would help maintain operational continuity and minimise disruptions to production activities. He added that several steps should be taken to ensure smooth implementation, especially concerning levy payments, digitalisation and worker consent. 'Any levy already paid should be transferable to the new employer. Alternatively, the new employer should only pay the difference in levy if the rate differs between sectors. This ensures financial fairness and avoids placing a double burden on employers,' he said in a statement. Soh also proposed that the Immigration Department take direct management of worker transfers in order to ensure consistency, prevent abuse and expedite approvals. He noted that conducting the whole process online could also enhance transparency, reduce administrative burdens and support compliance monitoring. 'Transfers must be based on the informed consent of the worker, free from coercion and documented accordingly. A clear mechanism should exist to address grievances or disputes arising from such transfers. 'FMM suggests that the MyFutureJobs platform be leveraged as a national clearinghouse for matching surplus and demand across sectors,' Soh said, welcoming the latest policy. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nivas Ragavan said the move would help relieve current labour shortages in several sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and services. However, he recommended that the government provide proper notice periods to avoid exploitation and disruption. 'The policy promotes labour market flexibility and prevents wastage of skilled and semi-skilled manpower, particularly when a worker is underutilised or displaced. 'The implementation must be carefully managed to avoid exploitation, sudden attrition in critical sectors and disruptions to current employer planning,' said Nivas.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
FMM welcomes govt moves to relax foreign worker rules
PETALING JAYA: The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) said it strongly welcomes the government's recent policy to permit foreign workers to change employers across sectors. In a statement, the association said this decisive and pragmatic move comes at a critical time, offering much-needed relief to industries facing labour shortages amid the continued freeze on new foreign worker recruitment. FMM said the policy has the potential to help rebalance the distribution of labour across sectors, enabling companies with surplus workers to release them to sectors experiencing acute shortages, including manufacturing. FMM also supported the policy announcement on allowing applications on a case-by-case basis for the manufacturing sector, particularly to replace workers who have exited employment. This flexibility will assist in maintaining the continuity of operations and minimising disruption to production activities, it said. 'As a responsible employer organisation, and from a human resource management perspective, FMM underscores the importance of ensuring that the implementation of this policy aligns with regulatory compliance and ethical workforce practices,' FMM president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said. In line with this positive, FMM advocated for the portability of levy payments. In cases where a worker transfers to a new employer, the levy already paid by the former employer should be transferable. If the levy rate differs between sectors, the new employer should only be required to pay the difference. Soh said this approach promotes financial fairness and avoids double-burdening employers. FMM proposed that the Immigration Department to directly manage the intersectoral transfer process. It said a centrally coordinated system would ensure uniformity in procedures, reduce opportunities for abuse, and speed up approvals. The federation also urged the adoption of digitised processing with end-to-end visibility to enhance efficiency and transparency. An online platform featuring status tracking, audit trails and defined approval timelines would reduce administrative overhead and strengthen compliance monitoring, it said. In addition, FMM said, worker consent and safeguards must be prioritised. Transfers should only proceed with the worker's informed, voluntary consent and be properly documented. FMM noted that a formal grievance mechanism should be in place to resolve any disputes arising from such transfers. Finally, FMM recommended integrating databases for effective labour matching. 'Specifically, the MyFutureJobs platform should serve as a national clearinghouse to align surplus labour with industry demand. Employers should be encouraged to update their workforce status to promote transparency and reduce reliance on intermediaries,' Soh said. He noted that with these measures in place, the new policy can deliver its intended benefits while protecting the interests of all stakeholders involved.
Borneo Post
02-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Federation calls for national action plan to tackle worker housing shortage
Soh added that the Ministry of Local Government and Development, the Ministry of Human Resources, and local authorities should be engaged to see fast-tracked approvals for CLQ and TLQ development. KUCHING (May 3): The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) has called for a National Action Plan on Labour Quarters to address the critical shortage of Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) and Temporary Labour Quarters (TLQ) across the country. Its president Tan Sri Dato Soh Thian Lai said CLQ and TLQ are in high demand, particularly in key industrial zones and logistics hubs. 'This shortfall continues to affect worker welfare and places pressure on employers tasked with compliance under Act 446, the Employees' Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities Act 1990,' he said in a statement yesterday. As such, Soh added that the Ministry of Local Government and Development, the Ministry of Human Resources, and local authorities should be engaged to see fast-tracked approvals for CLQ and TLQ development. He proposed that the government come up with targeted incentives for developers and employers to build or retrofit proper worker housing, while calling for public-Private Partnership (PPP) models aligned with local and industrial development strategies. He also said FMM welcomes Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's keynote address on Labour Day, which captured the spirit of inclusive development and justice for the workforce. 'His bold assertion that 'one-room-one-toilet housing is no longer suitable', and his challenge that 'when there are so many facilities for the rich, it should not be impossible to find land to build decent homes for workers' reflect an urgent national priority that deserves broad support.' Additionally, Soh said FMM acknowledges Human Resources Minister Steven Sim's remark on the notable reduction in the national employment rate to 3.1 per cent, the lowest in recent years. He was also delighted to note the increase in female labour force participation to 56.2 per cent, a meaningful milestone in gender empowerment and economic inclusion, as well as the launch of the Kad Pekerja Madani, integrating worker identification, and social protection via discounts of up to 30 per cent from over 100 companies offering essential goods and services. Furthermore, Soh believed that the MyFutureJobs mobile application, an AI-driven job matching platform, will support the digital transformation of Malaysia's labour market. He said FMM is ready to support the utilisation and continuous improvement of the MyFutureJobs system through industry collaboration, ensuring it remains responsive to real-time market demand, skills matching, and sectoral workforce planning. 'FMM remains committed to working closely with the government in ensuring that economic progress is matched by meaningful social protection and long-term workforce resilience,' he added.
New Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Improve housing for workers, govt told
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has urged the government to establish a National Action Plan on Labour Quarters to address the critical shortage of proper worker housing nationwide. Its president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said the plan should be developed in collaboration with the Local Government and Development Ministry, the Human Resources Ministry, and local authorities. "The key proposals include fast-tracked approvals for the development of Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) and Temporary Labour Quarters (TLQ), targeted incentives for developers and employers to build or retrofit proper worker housing, and public-private partnership models aligned with local and industrial development strategies," he said in a statement today. Soh said the critical shortage of CLQ and TLQ, especially in key industrial zones and logistics hubs, continued to affect worker welfare and placed significant compliance pressure on employers under the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446). FMM's call follows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's Labour Day address, in which he stressed the need to redefine minimum housing standards for workers, declaring that "one-room-one-toilet housing is no longer suitable." "FMM welcomes the prime minister's keynote address, which captures the spirit of inclusive development and justice for the workforce. "His bold assertion that when there are so many facilities for the rich, it should not be impossible to find land to build decent homes for workers reflects an urgent national priority that deserves broad support," Soh said. He praised the government's efforts to strengthen the labour ecosystem, including the reduction of the national unemployment rate to 3.1 per cent, the increase in female labour force participation to 56.2 per cent, and the launch of initiatives such as the Madani Employee Card and the MyFutureJobs mobile application. He said the MyFutureJobs platform, driven by artificial intelligence to match workers with jobs, would support Malaysia's digital labour market transformation. "FMM expresses its readiness to support the utilisation and continuous improvement of the MyFutureJobs system through industry collaboration, ensuring it remains responsive to real-time market demand, skills matching, and sectoral workforce planning. Soh said this year's Labour Day celebration reaffirmed the nation's respect for its workers and the need for collaborative efforts to build a just and future-ready labour ecosystem.
