Govt blacklists company that brought in 171 Bangladeshi workers

PETALING JAYA: The government has blacklisted a company that brought in 171 Bangladeshi nationals into the country with promises of jobs in Johor but failed to find them employment.

In a joint statement, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said that the company would be blacklisted from applying for new foreign workers, including Immigration Department matters such as renewing temporary working passes for existing workers.

He also said the company’s conditional approval letter was hereby revoked with no refunds on levies paid, and its remaining quota of foreign workers cancelled.

“The ministries will take action against employers under the Immigration Act and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act.

“Actions are being taken to ensure that employers fulfill their responsibilities towards foreign workers,” read the statement on Saturday (Jan 6).

Saifuddin added that the party concerned would face action under the Employment Act and the Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities for Employees Act.

He added that both ministries would monitor and inspect employers who bring in foreign workers through the Foreign Worker Employment Flexibility Plan.

Such decision was made after the Human Resource Ministry had summoned the party involved in an alleged job scam incident in Kota Tinggi, Johor for a meeting which was also attended by relevant agencies and Home Ministry representatives on Dec 28, 2023.

Saifuddin said a special meeting was also scheduled between the two ministers on Jan 16 to discuss a Cabinet proposal to freeze foreign worker employment quota applications and other measures to improve the governance of foreign worker employment in the country.

On Dec 25 last year, 171 Bangladesh nationals with valid working permits lodged a police report at the Bayu Damai police station, claiming that they had been in the country for over three months but their agents had yet to find them any jobs.