KUALA LUMPUR: The temporary withdrawal of the (Temporary Employment) Visit Pass or PLKS is not the cause of the current shortage of Nepalese workers in Malaysia, said Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.
He said he believes the cause of the shortage is due to misappropriation by Bestinet Sdn Bhd.
It was reported that Bestinet was allegedly involved in a scam to milk RM185 million from hundreds of thousands of Nepalese who sought work in Malaysia over the past five years.
"Actually, from what I understand, all of this started due to outsourcing by Bestinet.
"(Now), with the temporary withdrawal of the PLKS, (the system) will be refined and improved. This is crucial to avoid future misappropriation," he said during minister's questions time at the Dewan Rakyat here today.
Kulasegaran said he believes the matter will be resolved soon.
"We know there is an issue, and we know there are ways to overcome this matter... we believe it will be a win-win situation.
"Nepalese workers are the most sought-after by Malaysian companies, as they are known to be honest, hard-working and punctual," he added.
Kulasegaran was responding to an additional question posed by Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Mohamed Said (BN-Kuala Krau), who had asked him if the Nepal government has lost interest in sending its workers to Malaysia due to the temporary withdrawal of the PLKS.
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