By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
The Malaysian government has announced plans to introduce a digital platform that will allow employers to recruit foreign workers directly, effectively removing private recruitment agents from the process.
The initiative, disclosed by Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister, Datuk Ramakrishnan, is aimed at cutting recruitment costs, curbing exploitation and improving transparency in the country’s foreign labour system. The plan was first reported by The Malaysian Reserve and later cited by the Economic Times.
According to the minister, reliance on intermediaries has exposed foreign workers to excessive recruitment fees, debt bondage and other practices linked to modern slavery.
“The issue has been raised repeatedly in Parliament and highlighted in the media. We want to eliminate the middleman problem,” Ramakrishnan said.
Under the proposed system, employers will be able to connect directly with prospective workers through a centralised digital platform. Job roles, wages and employment conditions will be clearly outlined and agreed upon before contracts are finalised, reducing the risk of misrepresentation.
Ramakrishnan noted that many foreign workers currently arrive in Malaysia already burdened by debt after paying high recruitment fees in their home countries, often ending up in jobs different from those promised.
The new platform is expected to streamline recruitment, strengthen oversight and protect the rights of foreign workers.
