KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — Malaysia’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has announced plans to investigate the government’s decision to sign a foreign worker management contract with Bestinet Sdn Bhd, citing concerns over its high costs and insufficient safeguards for employers and foreign workers.
PAC chairperson Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the committee has yet to receive a satisfactory explanation from the government on why it proceeded with the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS) contract, which was finalised in September last year.
“The FWCMS contract is considered an insufficient step, with its high payment charges likely to burden employers and foreign workers.
“We have decided to initiate a new proceeding related to the acquisition of the FWCMS system by KDN on December 10 this year,” Mas Ermieyati said today.
She said the PAC will summon the FWCMS steering committee, chaired by Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Attorney General Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Awang Alik Jeman, Human Resources Ministry secretary-general Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof and National Digital Department director-general Dr Fazidah Abu Bakar.
“Their explanation will be crucial for the PAC to understand their justification signing this FWCMS contract with Bestinet,” she added.
Previously, on July 3, the PAC found oversight issues in the management of foreign workers in Malaysia.
Most notably, the PAC said there were regulation violations and overlaps concerning the FWCMS and ePPAx under both the Human Resources (HR) Ministry and the Home Ministry.
