Pada 25 Jun 2015, Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid telah mengumumkan pengambilan 1.5 juta pekerja dari Bangladesh untuk memenuhi sektor pekerjaan di Malaysia. [1]
Namun semalam Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) menegaskan tiada angka mutlak bagi kemasukan pekerja Bangladesh ke negara ini kerana ia bergantung kepada keperluan sebenar majikan semasa permohonan dibuat. [2]
Perjanjian Malaysia-Bangladesh memeterai kemasukan 1.5 juta pekerja Bangladesh dibuat di kala pengumuman penyusunan semula serta penambahan sistem kadar levi untuk pekerja asing berkuat kuasa 1 Februari 2016. [3] Mengapakah wujud kontradiksi antara dasar serta pelaksanaan oleh kerajaan dalam menangani tenaga kerja di negara kita?
Perjanjian Malaysia-Bangladesh bercanggah dengan agenda ekonomi yang digariskan dalam RMKe-11; iaitu dalam mewujudkan 1.5 juta pekerjaan menjelang tahun 2020 dengan sasaran penambahbaikan dalam produktiviti buruh dan pengurangan kebergantungan terhadap pekerja asing berkemahiran rendah.
Dalam mengejar visi ekonomi berjiwa rakyat, Kerajaan wajar menetapkan gaji minimum RM1,350 bagi tahun ini dan mensasarkan RM1,850 pada tahun 2020 untuk mencapai nisbah 40% gaji daripada jumlah KDNK negara. Menteri JPM Datuk Seri Wahid sekadar menyebut sasaran ini tetapi kita tidak melihat rancangan konkrit dalam mereleasasi sasaran ini.
Kerjasama Malaysia-Bangladesh menggunakan sepenuhnya sistem dalam talian bermula dengan proses permohonan pekerja; kononnya untuk mengawal penglibatan ejen pekerja asing tidak sah yang menyumbang kepada kenaikan kos penggajian serta risiko kepada eksploitasi pekerja asing.
Umum mengetahui dengan wujudnya mekanisme rundingan terus ini akan menyulitkan lagi proses majikan untuk menghantar semula pekerja yang didapati bermasalah memandangkan mereka yang diterima masuk telah mendapat akses penuh daripada kedua-dua kerajaan. Adakah mekanisme G2G bakal menghapuskan terus penggunaan agen yang bakal menambah kos?
Bahkan kuasa yang diberikan kerajaan kepada agensi yang mengelola sistem ini menimbulkan persoalan memandangkan kerajaan kini mengalami isu ketirisan kepercayaan rakyat.
Jelas bahawa langkah utama di dalam melahirkan gaji minima impian adalah menerusi had penggunaan pekerja asing dalam industri tertentu.
Makanya, pasca perbincangan menyeluruh dengan semua pihak berkepentingan, kerajaan perlu meningkatkan levi pekerja asing kepada RM5,000 dan menetapkan had ke atas guna tenaga pekerja asing oleh industri.
Khususnya bagi sektor perkhidmatan dan pembuatan, seharusnya tiada pekerja asing yang digunapakai; untuk sektor pembinaan peratusan maksimumnya 30% dan bagi industri berasaskan agro / perladangan, peratusan maksimumnya pula 50%. [4]
Penguatkuasaan dan pemantauan industri perlu untuk memastikan kuota yang ditetapkan diikuti.
Dasar penggunaan pekerja asing mengurangkan peluang pekerjaan kepada pekerja tempatan yang rata-ratanya 70% berpendidikan SPM ke bawah. Hari ini Low Yatt, kedai-kedai makan, stesen minyak, hotel-hotel, industri pembinaan, kilang-kilang seperti Proton dibanjiri dengan kehadiran pekerja asing.
Akibatnya, gaji terus mengecil dan gagal berkembang. Kesemua industri ini mampu dipenuhi oleh pekerja tempatan jika mereka dibayar dengan sewajarnya.
Sehubungan itu, sewajarnya kerajaan Malaysia memandang serius saranan yang dikemukakan oleh Pemangku Presiden Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC), YB Abdullah Sani Abdul Halim yang berkata, penyelarasan kadar levi dapat menetapkan kuota mengikut sektor bagi mengelakkan lambakan pekerja asing di negara ini.
Saranan saya adalah kemasukan lebih ramai pekerja asing tidak perlu disegerakan. Sebaliknya, apa yang diperlukan adalah penguatkuasaan kawalan undang-undang sedia ada seperti Akta Kerja 1955, Akta Pampasan Pekerja 1952, Akta Standard Minimum Perumahan dan Kemudahan Pekerja 1990, Akta Imigresen 1959/63, Akta Antipemerdagangan Orang dan Antipenyeludupan Migran 2007. Selesaikan dahulu isu kehadiran 5.8 juta pekerja asing; di mana 2.135 juta secara sah dan 3.7 juta tanpa izin.
Bahkan, atas nama keterbukaan, senaraikan syarikat-syarikat dan Industri yang mengemukakan permohonan kepada kementerian secara transparen supaya rasional penempatan keperluan rakyat tempatan mampu dilaksana dalam memenuhi sektor tenaga buruh yang diperlukan.
Pastikan levi dibayar oleh syarikat dan majikan yang menggaji pekerja asing bukan seperti praktis sedia ada di mana pembayaran dilunaskan oleh pekerja bukannya majikan.
Utamakan kebolehpasaran pekerja tempatan dahulu berbanding memperkukuh dan memeterai dasar pengambilan pekerja asing.
Jangan dipinggir isu lambakan pendatang asing yang memberi impak negatif kepada gejala sosial di kawasan penduduk tempatan; termasuklah fenomena di mana pekerja asing sendiri dimangsakan menerusi pelaksanaan hukum yang lemah!
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, LEMBAH PANTAI
VICE PRESIDENT AND ELECTION DIRECTOR, KEADILAN
[1] http://www.sinarharian.com.my/
[2] http://www.sinarharian.com.my/
[3] http://www.sinarharian.com.my/
[4] http://aafaizli.com/pemandu-
[5] http://www.nurulizzah.com/
[6] http://www.sinarharian.com.my/
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WHY THE NEED FOR 1.5 MILLION FOREIGN WORKERS DESPITE THE INFLUX OF 5.8 MILLION FOREIGN WORKERS IN MALAYSIA?
In June 2015, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid announced the intake of 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh to fulfil required industries in Malaysia. [1]
In the same breath, the Government announced a restructuring of the levy system for foreign workers with effect from 1 February 2016. [3]
Why do government actions contradict each other – a new policy created to reduce dependence on foreign workers whilst on the other hand admit 1.5 million more into Malaysia?
Malaysia – Bangladesh governments have agreed to initiate an online system ; beginning with employees application, ostensibly to regulate the involvement of agents of foreign workers illegally contributing to the increase in payroll costs and reduce risk of foreign worker exploitation.
The G2G Malaysia-Bangladesh arrangement complicates the economic agenda outlined in the 11th Malaysia Plan; namely in creating 1.5 million jobs by 2020 with the goal of improving labor productivity and reduced dependency on low -skilled foreign workers.
Foreign workers reduce job opportunities for our local workers – with average 70% qualification of SPM/ O Level education.
A cursory glance at Low Yatt, various eateries in the city and suburban areas, gas stations, hotels, construction industry, factories such as Volkswagen will indicate the overwhelming use of migrant workers. As a result, salary increases will continue to be stagnant. Industries should hire local workers ; who will accordingly be attracted with commensurate pay.
In pursuit of a people-oriented economic vision, the government should set a minimum wage of RM1,350 this year and RM1,850 by 2020 – in line with the aim to achieve a ratio of 40 % of the total GDP to be accorded to wages .
This 40 percent target was also mentioned by none other than Minister Datuk Seri Wahid but to date we are still awaiting the plans and programs to achieve the said vision.
It is crucial for the government to increase the levy on foreign workers to RM5,000 and set limits on the employment of foreign workers by industry; pending extensive discussions with all stakeholders.
Specifically, the services and manufacturing sectors should not involve the inclusion of foreign workers; 30 percent should suffice for the construction sector; and the maximum percentage for agro-based industries / plantation should be 50%. [4]
Additionally, enforcement and monitoring is necessary to ensure that industry quota is observed.
The government must seriously consider the recommendations made by the Acting President of the Malaysian Trades Union (MTUC), YB Abdullah Sani Abdul Halim: that the levy hike is linked to the required quotas by sectors to prevent dumping of foreign workers in the country. [5]
The intake of more foreign workers is unnecessary. What is needed is control on enforcement of existing laws such as the Employment Act 1955, Workmen’s Compensation Act 1952, Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990, the Immigration Act 1959/63, Act Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007. We should be looking into the existing 5.8 million foreigners in our country! (2.135 million legal; 3.7 million illegal foreign workers) [6]
Therefore, I urge the government to be fair to the Malaysian workforce by first addressing the issue of the influx of foreign workers in the country. If indeed it is based on the needs of industry, then parliament should be privy to the list of companies and industries that are in need of foreign workers. Such an assessment would prove useful for Malaysians to ascertain the need of industries and accordingly meet them.
We must prioritise the marketability of local workers before choosing the easy way out and further depress wages. A simplified cop out solution will not address ongoing concerns arising from such huge numbers of foreign workers in the country – both in negatively impacting society; as well as validating loopholes in enforcement that allow for the victimisation of foreign workers.
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, LEMBAH PANTAI
VICE PRESIDENT AND ELECTION DIRECTOR, KEADILAN
