BATU GAJAH, Feb 9 — The government will not rush to approve applications for the entry of foreign workers into the country through the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan (FWERP), despite high demand from employers.

Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said thus far the government has approved a quota of 500,000 for the entry of foreign workers, but the application now exceeds the set limit.

"The ministry received a high number of applications specifically for five critical sectors, namely manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture and services, and even now there are still employers applying.

"We will look at the development first, whether we approve directly within three days as stipulated. However, we need to control it because we do not want the number, as allocated under the 12th Malaysia Plan, to exceed 2.4 million people,” he said after attending the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Fifth Convocation ceremony, at the Dewan Bunga Raya of the KTM Academy.

Also present were Deputy Transport Minister, Datuk Hasbi Habibollah and KTMB group chief executive officer, Datuk Mohd Rani Hisham Samsudin.

He added that the government is also trying to find the best mechanism to enable employers to deal directly, without involving agents, in hiring foreign workers.

"When there is a middleman, the cost will skyrocket, even Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also stated this yesterday and urged employers not to use agents.

"The government understands the post-pandemic economic recovery process and we are concerned about this issue, and the Cabinet is aware of the problems that have arisen,” he said. — Bernama