Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) Penang branch secretary K Veeriah said expansion of the OSA would only lead to a greater erosion of the people’s confidence in the government.

He said Malaysians were given the impression that OSA was enacted to protect sensitive issues, such as national security.

“But by classifying an employment-related agreement between our government and Bangladesh, linking local company Synerflux, under the OSA, is in our view, expanding the scope of the Act beyond its core,” said Veeriah.

During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the contract between Putrajaya and Synerflux, which would provide the online system to manage the intake of foreign workers, had been place under the OSA.

Zahid said contract details would be kept confidential as contractual talks had yet to be finalised.

“The classification of the document will be considered along the lines of the OSA,” said Zahid in a written reply to Klang MP Charles Santiago.

Veeriah said Zahid’s response was not only evasive but also a smoke screen to avoid explaining an issue that was of the utmost importance.

He said public perception on the issue of 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers coming to Malaysia was at its lowest ebb.

Thus, he said, hiding under such archaic laws as the OSA did not help to assuage this negative perception caused by the government’s secrecy over the contract.

“We, therefore, urge the Federal Government to act in a transparent and inclusive manner on this issue,” said Veeriah.

Last Saturday, Zahid announced that the Federal Government had decided to stop the recruitment of new foreign workers with immediate effect.

Following Putrajaya’s decision, he said the issue of bringing in 1.5 million Bangladeshis to work in Malaysia was considered closed.

The Home Ministry meanwhile denied a report claiming that Zahid has awarded a management system contract for Bangladeshi workers to his brother’s company.