CAMBODIA TO SEND MAIDS TO MALAYSIA IN JUNE

Malaysia Digest (Online) : 24/01/2018

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia will send a group of maids to work in Malaysia in early June after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in 2015, the Khmer Times reported.

Cambodian Labour Minister Ith Samheng said in his three meetings with Malaysian Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot, they had discussed the process of recruitment, training and sending the workers to Malaysia safely.

“We agreed to set the date for sending the first group to work in Malaysia on June 1,” he said.

Samheng added he would meet the Malaysian minister again in Kuala Lumpur in early February.

He said the number of maids leaving in June is still unknown and would depend on the ability of recruitment agencies as well as public interest.

“We will know the exact number of maids near the date. Before sending them to Malaysia we will explain about the working conditions and tell them how to stay safe,” he said.

They would be trained for one or two months prior to departure.

In October 2011, the Cambodian government imposed a moratorium on its citizens working as domestic helpers in Malaysia due to reports of abuse by employers.

The Malaysian minister told reporters Tuesday that foreign workers including those from Cambodia would be protected under the MoU.

“We will ensure that the welfare of workers from Cambodia will be protected,” he said.

According to the Malaysian Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR), as of Dec 31 last year, a total of 4,402 Cambodians were working legally in Malaysia. Under the rehiring programme by Ministry of Home Affairs, 3,588 Cambodians have registered and currently being processed by the Immigration Department.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Royal Government of Cambodia for these workers. As far as social problems are concerned, they have not created a single social problem for our country,” Riot said.

Meanwhile, the Human Resources Ministry said Malaysia hoped that Cambodia could agree to send the maids earlier on May 1.

"Details of the agreement will be discussed during the meeting of both ministers next month," the ministry's corporate communications unit said when contacted by Bernama today.
-- BERNAMA

13 HOTELS IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA HAVE HIJAB BAN

The Sun Daily (Online) : 28/01/2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry found that 13 out of 88 hotels in Peninsular Malaysia have denied women from wearing the hijab (headscarf), according to its "standard grooming" policy.

The finding is based on inspections conducted between December 2017 and Jan 26, with the ban involving certain areas, including in food and beverage (F&B) and among frontliners.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Richard Riot said the Manpower Department has advised said hotels to rectify the matter and lift the ban.

He added that the proposed amendment to the Employment Act 1955 ,due to the headscarf ban in the hotel sector, is expected to be tabled at the upcoming Parliament sitting.

"The ministry is currently continuing discussion with the stakeholders to refine the amendments.

"The ministry also held discussion with the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) on Jan 17. As a result, MAH said it is commitment to urge members to do away with the ruling against headscarf.

"MAH is also working with its members to include headscarf as part of the uniform," he said.

The ministry was also scheduled to meet with the Malaysian International Trade Union Connection Council (UNI-MLC) today to clarify and resolve the headscarf ban issue.

UNI-MLC issued a statement on Nov 6 following numerous complaints lodged by female hotel employees about the ban of hijab at their workplaces.

RIOT DISMISSES CLAIMS THAT TVET PROBLEMATIC, NOT SYSTEMATIC

New Straits Times (Online) : 22/01/2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem today described reports that the Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) was problematic with no uniformity, as inaccurate.

He said seven ministries involved – the Human Resources, Higher Education, Education, Youth and Sports, Rural and Regional Development, Works and the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministries – had all agreed to develop a synergised programme for TVET.

Riot said this was in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's announcement on the implementation of TVET on Sept 27 last year and during the tabling of Budget 2018.

"This is further strengthened by the ministerial level TVET Malaysia Coordination Committee Meeting held on Jan 16, which was also attended by industry representatives," said Riot.

"We had also agreed to implement TVET Malaysia in a more coordinated way, headed by the Human Resources Ministry."

In a statement issued by the Human Resource Ministry today, Riot also said the allocation of RM4.9 billion through Budget 2018 proved the government's strong commitment towards the implementation of TVET, to be utilised by the seven ministries involved.

"The Human Resources Ministry is now increasing efforts to identify issues and problems, implement programmes and initiatives and set objectives in terms of direction through the collaborative efforts between the seven ministries," said Riot.

"This is to ensure the implementation of TVET Malaysia is in line with the domestic and international economic landscape, technological developments and requirements under the Industrial Revolution 4.0."

Riot said, the Jan 16 meeting had also determined the need to increase skilled labour from 28 percent in 2015 to 35 percent by 2020, and consequently the need to increase the quantity and quality of TVET qualified workers to 225,000 in 2020, from 164,000 five years earlier.

He said the TVET Council, which is to be chaired by the Prime Minister, will act as the highest authority in determining the policies, implementation and coordination of TVET Malaysia.