Malaysia Employment Syndicate Resurfaces, Nepali Businesses and Government Protest

Kathmandu. A game to re-establish syndicate in the recruitment process of Nepali workers in Malaysia, a destination country for foreign labor, has begun. The Malaysian government's decision to list only 25 out of approximately 1,200 licensed manpower companies in Nepal as Registered Recruitment Agencies on its foreign worker centralized management system portal has caused a major stir in the foreign employment sector. Businessmen have stated that this syndicate game, which has been going on behind the scenes for a long time, has finally come into implementation. With this development, concerned businessmen have strongly opposed it. Businessmen have complained that this system will not only push more than 1,175 legally registered businesses out of the market but also inevitably increase the heavy financial burden on poor workers going to Malaysia and escalate exploitation. Previously, all licensed manpower companies in Nepal could freely send workers through Malaysia's centralized management system portal. However, the latest change has authorized only 25 entities and prohibited others. This has created a mandatory situation where employers in Malaysia must select only those 25 agencies when sending demand letters. The President of the Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs Association, Dik Bahadur Khatri, has expressed strong objection. According to him, this move curtails the right to compete for businesses operating legally in accordance with Nepal's prevailing laws, rules, and regulations. President Khatri said, 'Having only 25 listed out of 1,200 businessmen in Nepal is direct monopoly. It ends healthy competition and ultimately opens the path for economic exploitation of workers.'

Government's Diplomatic Initiative and Clear Stance