KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — The Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) today called for recalibration fees for the Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0 (RTK 2.0) to legalise foreign workers to be reduced from RM1,500.

Its president Datuk NK Tong said the fee is exorbitant for many businesses and operators, especially in industries where hundreds of workers are hired in a single project and it will add up to a hefty sum that may not be financially viable for many companies.

"We believe that the fee should be kept as low as possible to encourage related businesses to take part in the programme, otherwise the high amount can be a deterrent.

"Through the programme, the government’s aim should be to help the industries and the nation’s economy to recover so that companies can offer more jobs to more workers and be profitable to pay taxes.

"The programme itself should not be used as a source of income for the government. At the present moment where all costs continue to increase, the government should come in to assist,” he said in a statement this morning.

Tong added that by reverting to a lower fee, any savings can be passed to potential homebuyers in terms of lower house prices, even as developers struggle to keep prices down in the face of persistent and rising inflation.

He said Rehda will encourage employers in all industries with undocumented migrant workers to take part in the recalibration programme to ensure that the well-being of their workers is protected, and their projects and businesses can resume without issues.

"We hope our members will adhere to this law, as reluctance to do so may affect the developments of your current projects and planned developments in the future,” he said.

On January 18, Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the RTK 2.0 — which includes foreign labours and domestic helpers had started on January 27.

He said the entire RTK2.0 process will be finalised within three weeks of the appointment.

He said only foreign workers in the manufacturing, construction, mining, security, service, agriculture, farming and the newly-added foreign maid sectors are eligible to apply.