Nepal manpower firms protest Malaysia’s biometric health check

A letter by the Malaysian embassy in Nepal informing of the new biometric system on those planning to work in Malaysia has riled up manpower firms in the Himalayan nation. – MoF pic, January 19, 2015.Malaysia's introduction of biometric health checks for Nepali workers by an outsourced private company has raised fierce opposition among recruitment firms due to added costs and security concerns over worker information, Nepalese English daily Republica reports.

Citing a letter from the Malaysian embassy in Kathmandu dated January 15 addressed to Nepal's foreign affairs ministry, the report said Malaysia's immigration department would only accept and process medical reports submitted under a biometric system that took effect last Thursday.

This led to recruiting companies declaring they would halt sending new workers to Malaysia until the Nepalese government makes a final decision.

Republica reported that Kathmandu has yet to give its final approval for the system to be implemented in the Himalayan nation.

“The Malaysian side sent their response nearly a year after we sent our letter expressing some concerns.

"Albeit late, most of our concerns have been addressed. We will take a decision either to allow implementation of the new system soon,” Labour and Employment ministry secretary Bhola Prasad Shiwakoti told Republica. – January 19, 2015.

More than 400,000 Nepalis flood the job market every year, with 90% of them finding employment overseas.

An estimated 800 Nepali workers leave their country daily for Malaysia, which is host to more than 450,000 documented Nepali migrant workers.

The report said the Nepalese government and recruitment firms were concerned that workers would have to pay extra costs, but the Malaysian embassy letter said no new or additional charges would be imposed.

Republica quoted the president of Nepal Health Professionals Federation (NHPF), Kailash Khadka, as saying that no additional charges would be levied at workers, who currently pay Rs2,526 (RM88) each for medical tests.

This, however, could change as the embassy's letter also said any new charges would be determined by the respective authorities.

The daily reported that 38 medical firms will carry out the medical checks using the biometric system.

Malaysia said the biometric system was introduced to prevent fraudulent medical reporting. Foreign workers would have to undergo it in their home countries before they can get a working visa for Malaysia.

This followed a report that Malaysian authorities found "almost two thirds of 30,000 new foreign workers" had passed medical tests in their home countries, but failed a second test in Malaysia. The fear was that some workers would carry and spread contagious diseases like tuberculosis.

The immigration department had said the system would be implemented in stages, beginning with Nepal and Bangladesh.

However, Republica reported that recruitment firms in Nepal are unconvinced about the new system, arguing that the security of its Malaysian-bound workers might be jeopardised as the system had been outsourced to a private company, Bestinet Sdn Bhd.

“We might not have any qualms if the biometric tests were to be done by the Malaysian or Nepal government. However, the data on the workers will be going into the hands of a private company, and this raises serious safety concerns,” Kumud Khanal, vice-president of the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA), told Republica.

“We are awaiting the government´s decision as this new system cannot be enforced unless it gives its approval.”

NHPF's Khadka defended the new system, saying it would ensure quality medical tests, and migrant workers would not suffer further hassles.

“We have seen some anomalies in the old system whereby the medical tests for aspiring migrant workers are conducted in paper only, not even requiring them to be present during the actual test. In the bio-metric test, workers must be present in person and undergo quality tests,” he added.

Republica said the Malaysian embassy did not answer its queries on the matter.

Some 2.5 million Nepalese work overseas, and their remittance constitute the largest foreign exchange earner for the country.

In 2012, about US$4.5 billion, or almost a quarter of Nepal's GDP, was sent back by these workers. – January 19, 2015.