SHAH ALAM, Nov 23 — The Ministry of Human Resources (KSM) will ensure efficient management of foreign workers in this country despite several issues due to previous weaknesses, said its minister V. Sivakumar.

He said that his ministry has made several efforts to ensure that the management of foreign workers including through the Foreign Workers Integrated Management System (ePPAx) and Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) is carried out efficiently.

"If KSM identifies any wrongdoing by employers or agents who bring foreign workers to this country without employment or placement, the Labour Department (JTK) has been instructed to take strict action,” he told reporters after attending the Prime Minister’s Golden Hand Award (MATEPM) and Skilled Person Award ceremony at the Shah Alam Convention Centre (SACC) today.

He was commenting on the Auditor-General’s Report 2022 published yesterday which recommended that KSM and the Home Ministry (KDN) discuss and decide on who will be fully responsible for the foreign worker management system without neglecting the needs of all stakeholders.

In another development, Sivakumar said that thus far JTK has not received any complaints or reports regarding the action of a Muslim Chinese restaurant in the capital that sacked its employee for wearing a cross at work.

He said that his ministry would look into the matter if it received a complaint before taking any action against the restaurant’s action, which invited mixed reactions from various parties including Penang Mufti Wan Salim Wan Noor.

Touching on MATEPM, Sivakumar said it is the highest award given to the best overall winner in the WorldSkills Malaysia Belia (Youth) (WSMB) and WorldSkills Malaysia Pengajar (Teacher) (WSMP) competitions thus recognising individuals who excel in the field of skills or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), organised locally and abroad.

"The increase in the number of participants this year shows a positive indicator of youth’s deep interest and fighting spirit to pursue success in the field of skills,” he said.

The national-level skills competitions which include WSMB, WSMP and JuniorSkills Malaysia (JSM) pre-qualification stage were held from May 9 to June 12 with a total of 1,467 participants.

Of the total, 349 were qualified for the final stage competition which ran from September 15 to October 16 in 28 contested fields for the WSMB, 10 WSMP and seven JSM categories.

Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who officiated the ceremony, also presented the Prime Minister’s Golden Hand Award to Muhammad Hakimi Abu Bakar and Mohd Fairuz Hamdzah, while the Skilled Person Award went to Datuk Shamsuddin Amran. — Bernama