Malaysia positive about signing labour agreement with Nepal: Minister Bista

Kathmandu / Aug 15: Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista said that the government of Malaysia is moving ahead in a positive way to sign labour agreement with Nepal.

“We are holding formal and informal discussions to sign labour agreement with Malaysia,” Minister Bista said on Wednesday while answering questions raised by lawmakers during a meeting of the Industry, Commerce and Consumer Welfare Protection Committee under the Legislature-Parliament. “There is strong possibility of resolving the issue of Malaysia soon,” he said.

Minister Bista said the recent step taken by the Malaysia government is laudable.

“Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has given positive message in the side of Nepal in the Parliament meeting of Malaysia. The government of Nepal wants to thank Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Labour Minister for the same,” he said, adding, “We believe that exploitation over Nepali workers in Malaysia will come to an end now.”

The Labour Ministry on May 16, 2017 had put a ban on Nepali workers from travelling to Malaysia saying that the Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia were exploited by both employers and state authorities forming an illegal mechanism. Nepali workers would be allowed to travel to Malaysia only after labour agreement.

Saying that the steps taken by the Labour Ministry in the sector of internal labour and foreign employment sector were positive, lawmakers praised the role of Minister Bista.

Lawmaker Binda Pandey said that the stance of the government on the benefit of Nepali migrant workers is laudable.

Lawmaker Prakash Rasayeli said that Malaysia is like a hell from Nepali workers. “I had been to Malaysia a few days ago. The situation of Nepali workers was pathetic and wretched,” he said.

Lawmaker Lal Prasad Sanwa Limbu, former President of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, said that a hard decision is essential to improve the foreign employment sector.

“Tough steps should be taken to improve the foreign employment sector. Now, the government should take a decision to manage the service charge,” he said, adding, “The collateral of manpower and service charge is connected to each other.”

On the occasion, lawmaker Devendra Paudel said that the government should table a long-term plan to bring back Nepal migrant workers.

In the first meeting of the committee chaired byMukundaNeupane as an eldest member, lawmakers Jaya Gharti Magar, Pradeep Yadav, Durga Kumari BK, Sarita KumariYadav and Sujata Pariyar among others said that the government should bring in action plan to effectively manage the labour sector.