KUALA LUMPUR: The government has decided to extend the renewal of temporary employment passes (PLKS) for three sectors for another three months until June 15, says deputy home minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.
It was previously reported that the last date to extend the PLKS for goldsmiths, barbers and textile workers was on March 15.
“We have given an extension of up to June 15 for them to extend their PLKS. After that, there will be no extension,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.
Earlier, those with PLKS expiring before March were given a one-year renewal, after which they would have to return to their home countries.
Shamsul said the government would deliberate further on the matter after a stakeholders’ engagement study was tabled by the human resources minister.
Shamsul was responding to M Kula Segaran (PH-Ipoh Barat) who had asked the government about the status of the foreign workers in the three sectors.
He urged the government to allow goldsmiths to hire workers from India as they specialise in the making of religious lockets, an expertise not found here.
On March 14, N Gobalakrishnan, president of the Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry said around 10,000 Indian businesses from the three sectors may be forced to cease operations as the PLKS for its remaining foreign workers will be terminated in stages.
The three sectors do not have sufficient foreign labour because of a freeze since 2009.
Existing foreign workers, Gobalakrishnan said, had been on temporary employment passes, renewed on a yearly basis.