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Malaysian team studying UAE labour market

DUBAI - A Malyasian delegation headed by Secretary-General of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dato Sri Aseh bin Hj. Che Mat, visited yesterday the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MLSA) and met Minister Mattar Humaid Al Tayer, as part of an official tour of a number of UAE official bodies.

The delegation, which comprises Dato Ismail bin Hj. Abdul Rahim, Director-General of Labour, Ministry of Human resources, Labour Department Peninsular and other security officials, was accompanied by Dato Syed Hussein Al Habshee, Ambassador of Malaysia to the UAE.

Admiring the efficient way in which the MLSA is managing the labour market which accommodates a huge manpower from all over the world, the Secretary-General of the Malyasian Ministry of Home Affairs, said after meeting: "We came here to learn from this country. To see how the authorities are handling the foreign workers and how they are utilising the Information Technology in facilitating the procedures," Dato Sri Aseh said, making a specific reference to the e-unit facility launched by the MLSA to process the applications of major companies with the least possible complications and bureaucracy.

With the increasing demand for foreign workers in Malaysia, whose number stands currently at 1.2 million of a total of 9.5 million workers, the Malyasian authorities are exploring the best systems for managing foreign workers of which they can benefit in their experience "despite the fact that the foreign workers represent only a small segment of the total population of 22 million in Malaysia, unlike the UAE where the foreigners outnumber UAE citizens. It is amazing how the authorities are capable of controlling the expatriate manpower," Dato Sri Aseh said.

While the UAE and Malaysia labour market structures have much in common such as the restriction on visa changing for foreign workers who come mainly from India, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and who work in the construction, services and manufacturing sectors, there are some differences between both systems.

Elaborating on these differences, Dato Sri Aseh said that while the visa is granted for three years in the UAE with a labour card to be renewed every three years along with a health check-up, the Malaysian authorities make it compulsory for every foreign worker to renew his health card and labour card every year.

"We have also classified the foreign manpower into two categories: expatriates who are usually highly qualified and are permitted to stay and work in Malaysia without a time limit, and the common blue collar workers who are given five-year work permits," the Secretary-General of the Malyasian Ministry of Home Affairs, said.

Malaysia had more than 900,000 companies of which 450,000, are the major companies, are registered in the data base. Companies employing more than six illegal workers are prosecuted and penalised to curb the phenomenon of absconding workers and illegal employment.

The Malyasian Ambassador to the UAE, Dato Al Habshee, said that the Malaysian manpower in the UAE is very small. "Most of the Malaysian nationals employed in the UAE are highly qualified people in the engineering and IT sectors."

Dr Khalid Al Khazraji, Under-Secretary of MLSA, said that a delegation from the ministry visited Malaysia last year to familiarise themselves with their labour market since they are also importers of foreign workers.

"Their visit also aims at acquiring first hand experience on our methods in managing the labour market and how we succeeded in investing the abilities and skills of the foreign manpower in boosting the economic development of the UAE "while we could maintain at the same time a balance in the market which has cultural diversity and where huge number of workers live in harmony and understanding," Dr Al Khazraji said.

He added that the delegation was briefed about all the procedures concerning the recruitment of foreign manpower right from the time of filing the application for work permits, until the employee enters the country, goes through the formalities and until he leaves and his visa is cancelled. The delegation also visited the labour inspection department where they listened to explanation on how the inspection body plays a role in controlling the market.

The Malaysian delegation which is leaving tomorrow will also visit the Ministry of Interior and the Police.