Latest news with #SuteknoAhmadBelon
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
KESUMA calls on employers to uphold workers' rights
BUTTERWORTH: Employers, including government agencies, companies, industries, and individuals, have been urged to protect workers' rights and avoid any conduct which may result in exploitation or forced labour. Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) deputy secretary-general (Operations) Sutekno Ahmad Belon said that exploitation and forced labour are no longer just labour or legal matters, but global humanitarian issues which every employer must take seriously. 'It also directly affects the country's reputation and international trade relations. For instance, the issuance of Withhold Release Orders (WRO) by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on products linked to forced labour, is a very serious measure. 'Therefore, addressing this issue requires collective effort, and the implementation of the National Action Plan on Forced Labour (NAPFL) 2021-2025, jointly led by the National Strategy Office - Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (NSO MAPO) and Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) - demonstrates the country's unified commitment to eradicating forced labour,' he said. He said this to reporters, after officiating the Prevention of Labour Exploitation: Towards Zero Forced Labour 2030 Seminar, which was attended by more than 300 employers from various sectors, in Penang, today. He added that the one-day seminar aimed to raise awareness on labour issues and forced labour, as well as to strengthen cooperation between the government, industry, and civil society in creating workplaces free from exploitation. He said that the seminar also focused on critical issues such as forced labour, compliance with labour laws, and the challenges faced by industries in ensuring justice and workers' welfare. Sutekno added that there are 11 indicators of forced labour, including workers being confined or restricted, wages being withheld or illegally deducted, workers being threatened, forced to work overtime without pay, and workers not having access to their own documents. Forced labour remains a challenge, because Malaysia, as an active player in global trade, hosts a large number of foreign workers, creating opportunities for exploitation if monitoring is not strict. He noted that Malaysia is currently ranked at Tier 2 in the United States Department of State's 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report but aims to reach Tier 1 by 2030.
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Human Resources Ministry urges employers to act against forced labour
BUTTERWORTH: Employers, including government agencies, companies, industries, and individuals, have been urged to protect workers' rights and avoid any conduct which may result in exploitation or forced labour. Human Resources Ministry deputy secretary-general (Operations) Sutekno Ahmad Belon said that exploitation and forced labour are no longer just labour or legal matters, but global humanitarian issues which every employer must take seriously. "It also directly affects the country's reputation and international trade relations. For instance, the issuance of Withhold Release Orders (WRO) by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on products linked to forced labour, is a very serious measure. "Therefore, addressing this issue requires collective effort, and the implementation of the National Action Plan on Forced Labour (NAPFL) 2021-2025, jointly led by the National Strategy Office - Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (NSO MAPO) and Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department, demonstrates the country's unified commitment to eradicating forced labour," he said. He said this to reporters after officiating the Prevention of Labour Exploitation: Towards Zero Forced Labour 2030 Seminar, which was attended by more than 300 employers from various sectors, in Penang, today. He added that the one-day seminar aimed to raise awareness on labour issues and forced labour, as well as to strengthen cooperation between the government, industry, and civil society in creating workplaces free from exploitation. The seminar also focused on critical issues such as forced labour, compliance with labour laws, and the challenges faced by industries in ensuring justice and workers' welfare. Sutekno added that there are 11 indicators of forced labour, including workers being confined or restricted, wages being withheld or illegally deducted, workers being threatened, forced to work overtime without pay, and workers not having access to their own documents. Forced labour remains a challenge, because Malaysia, as an active player in global trade, hosts a large number of foreign workers, creating opportunities for exploitation if monitoring is not strict. He noted that Malaysia is currently ranked at Tier 2 in the United States Department of State's 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report but aims to reach Tier 1 by 2030. – BERNAMA
Free Malaysia Today
11-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
MACC presents findings of probe into HRD Corp
HRD Corp chairman Abu Huraira Abu Yazid (left) with Sutekno Ahmad Belon of the human resources ministry and Azmi Kamaruzaman (right) of MACC at the signing of the report. PETALING JAYA : The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission today presented the findings of its investigation into the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) regarding the management of its levies and investments following the auditor-general's report last year. In a statement today, MACC deputy chief commissioner (prevention) Azmi Kamaruzaman said the probe was aimed at finding improvements to HRD Corp's practices, systems and procedures, and to reduce the risk of corruption in the agency. 'I hope the human resources ministry and HRD Corp will give their full commitment to implementing the suggestions given, which we hope will help HRD Corp ensure better governance,' he said. Human resources deputy secretary-general (operations) Sutekno Ahmad Belon said the government takes all of MACC's findings seriously and will be responsible for ensuring and monitoring the implementation of said suggestions. 'The ministry will continue to support HRD Corp in outlining and implementing an action plan for improvements,' he said. The report was presented by MACC deputy director II Ahmad Shukri Taib at the human resources ministry's office today. It was signed by Azmi, Sutekno and HRD Corp chairman Abu Huraira Abu Yazid.
Barnama
28-04-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Automation, Digitalisation Key To Strengthening Agriculture Sector
KANGAR, April 28 (Bernama) -- There is a need for the agriculture sector to be empowered with elements of automation and digitalisation in efforts to produce highly skilled young agropreneurs capable of addressing national food security challenges. Human Resource Ministry deputy secretary-general (operations) Sutekno Ahmad Belon said that, for this, the Industrial Training Institute (ILP) of Kangar is, among others, focusing on the development of agricultural automation technology, which is currently in the final testing phase of a fully autonomous, system-controlled agricultural automation machine. 'Several demonstrations of autonomous machines for plowing and other tasks were showcased today, and we can see that these developments mark significant progress,' he told reporters after the launching of the Kangar ILP Silver Jubilee here today.
