EDITORIAL

Kathmandu Wednesday December 19, 2001 Paush 04,  2058.

Malaysian accord

The move to sign a bilateral labour agreement between Nepal and Malaysia is certainly an encouraging one. Such a move comes at a time when the people of this country are looking for jobs abroad. Successive governments have failed to provide employment opportunities to Nepali youths. And Nepali youths, especially those who live below the abject poverty line, have had to leave this country in search of jobs abroad. Every year, more than ten thousand Nepali labourers move out of this country legally or illegally in search of employment opportunities. Hundreds of them have either been deceived by overseas employment agencies, or have had to return to Nepal empty - handed in the absence of bilateral labour agreement. There have been many incidents where Nepali labourers failed to get compensations at the time of accidents as they entered the foreign countries without the proper documents. In the absence of such agreements, many illegal Nepali labourers abroad have also become a disgrace to the country.

The government is preparing to sign a bilateral labour agreement with Malaysia early next year. Had the government signed such an agreement earlier, the illegal Nepali laborers, who entered Malaysia without proper documents, would not have faced deportation charges. Besides, such an agreement would also have helped Nepali labourers develop their skills in specific areas before they left to take up work abroad. Singapore is one country, which allows in Indian labourers who undergo skill development training in Madras. Singapore has recognized a few skilled training centres in India at which training is imparted on road and building construction and other manual work before they leave India for work abroad. Any labour agreement signed with other countries will not only help this country economically but also consolidate our efforts to export manpower abroad.

Malaysia has become a new destination in recent years for Nepali labourers looking for employment opportunities. This is because Malaysia’s young tiger economy has picked up after the 1997 economic recession which hit the ASEAN member countries really hard. British Gurkhas also served in that country until it got its independence. So the country is not unfamiliar with Nepali youths in contrast to the Middle East countries where hordes of Nepali labourers go in search of work every year. Nepal has become dependent on a remittance economy. The government must now properly address the labour rights and provisions for levy before it signs any labour agreement. This will help discourage legal disputes involving Nepali labourers as well as maintain better ties between the two countries. Any Nepali labourer who intends to work in Malaysia has to obtain visa documents from India as there is no Malaysian foreign mission in Nepal. The government should take this into account and seek an easing of visa procedures so that Nepali labourers can move to and from Malaysia without any restrictions.