License to recruit

License to recruit

Unlicensed representatives of foreign manpower agencies are apparently hard at work bringing workers into the country. These unauthorized middlemen are said to be responsible for duping many immigrants about the work available, leaving new arrivals jobless, or forced into jobs different from what was promised.

The unbridled manner in which they seem to be operating in this country calls attention once again to the root of a long- standing problem in the recruitment of foreign labor -- poor monitoring of the hiring process and unsatisfactory execution of the immigration and employment laws.

At the heart of the matter is the failure of the authorities to monitor the recruitment practices.

What is needed, therefore, are clear guidelines for agencies and effective mechanisms in regulating their operations, as well as decisive action against those who abuse the rights of foreign workers and violate the rules and regulations. -- New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur