KUALA LUMPUR — The government has agreed in principle to a policy reversal that will allow foreign workers to work as cleaners and maintenance workers in cafés and convenience shops at petrol stations, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
The move will not involve an increase in the foreign worker quota, he added.
“Since 1995, petrol stations have implemented self-service operations, with the Cabinet decision at the time prohibiting the hiring of foreign workers.
“However, petrol stations now feature cafés, shops, and other services. This is the reality and evolution of the sector,” Saifuddin Nasution told the media, Bernama reports.
He was speaking after a joint meeting between the Home Minister and the Human Resource Minister on foreign worker management, yesterday.
The meeting also agreed in principle on allowing direct employment by petrol station companies, as well as employer transfers within the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM).
“Previously, these workers may not have been directly employed by employers, with their salaries determined by agents. Now, the hiring will be done directly by companies managing petrol stations.
“This direct employment and employer transfer can be implemented as long as the worker’s employment remains valid,” the home minister said.
The government’s freeze on applications for additional foreign worker quotas remains until the first quarter of 2025, he added. – November 20, 2024