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Kathmandu Tuesday December 18, 2001 Paush 03, 2058.
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Nepal-Malaysia labour accord likely
By Manoj Rijal
KATHMANDU, Dec 17 – His Majesty’s Government is making preparations
to sign bilateral labour agreement with the Malaysian Government within a month.
The government took the initiative following recent news reports that the
Malaysian Government was going to whip and deport foreign illegal workers, including
Nepalis.
A team of high-level government officials led by Minister of Labour and
Transportation Management, Palten Gurung is said to visit Malaysia within a month, most
probably in the second week of the New Year, for the same purpose.
"We are doing necessary homework to resolve the issue by signing letter
of exchange with the Malaysian Government and a high level team would visit Malaysia in
this connection within a month," said Minister Gurung.
Talking to The Kathmandu Post, Minister Gurung said that Nepal has not signed
any Labour Agreement with the Malaysian Government yet.
Hence, our main agenda will be to sign the Letter of Exchange with the
Malaysian authority, he added.
"The issue of illegal Nepali workers in Malaysia will be another main
agenda of our visit". However, he said that only very few Nepalis may be working
illegally in Malaysia. We will make efforts to legalize them, said he.
But according to an unverified estimate, there are more than 7,000 Nepalis
working illegally in Malaysia.
"We will try to consolidate our efforts in making an environment in
which workers can enjoy their rights and discuss the Provision of Levy," said Gurung.
As per the rules and regulations of Malaysia, foreign workers have to pay a levy of 100
ringit per month to the Malaysian Government. Many report that a huge amount of money goes
on paying the levy and the procedure of paying the tax is taxing in itself.
"We will also request the Malaysian Government to simplify the taxation
so that the government could collect it from the respective employers instead of
individual workers, " said Gurung.
The government is making efforts to convince the Malaysian Government for
establishing a Consular Office in Nepal in order to ease the existing complex procedure of
getting visas and other documents.
At present, Nepali workers have to fly to New Delhi, India in order to obtain
visas and other necessary documents.
Officials at the Ministry of Labour say the government is preparing to post
an attaché in Malaysia to facilitate the workers. People in the know say that Malaysia is
a suitable destination for Nepali workers on the basis of climate and social factors. And
since Nepali Lahures spent years in Malaysia decades ago under British army, there exists
a good impression of Nepalis among the Malaysian people.
Malaysian authority till date has recognized only five countries as the
source country to supply manpower, which include Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar,
Cambodia and Nepal.
Meanwhile, Dan Bahadur Tamang, President of Nepal Association of Foreign
Employment Agencies (NAFEA) welcomed the government’s initiative of resolving the
problems Nepali workers are facing in Malaysia. If it succeeds, it would certainly help in
enhancing and regulating foreign employment business, he added.
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