Building contractors reminded to recalibrate foreign workers

Augustine Wong Chung Ho

KUCHING (Nov 3): Building contractors are reminded to recalibrate their foreign workers before the large-scale enforcement operations by the federal government to nab undocumented migrants on Jan 1 next year, says Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda).

Its president Augustine Wong Chung Ho said this following an announcement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin on Oct 26 that those employing illegal foreign workers had until end of December to do so.

He said Sheda had earlier embarked on its own recalibration programme for migrant construction workers in Sarawak for its members.

“This is to ensure a fast- tracked and smooth calibration of their qualified migrant construction workers (expired work permits, expired pass and requiring to change employers),” he said in a statement yesterday.

Although the initiative received encouraging response from members, Wong, however, said some of them were still taking their time to apply for the workers’ recalibration.

He hoped they would make the correct decision and do the right thing; to legalise their workers and not give the industry a bad name.

“Sheda understands that most of members are sub-contracting their building jobs to subcontractors and they should encourage their sub-contractors to start applying for the recalibration now.

“The announcement of recalibration deadline on Dec 31, followed by the promise of large-scale enforcement to be carried out on Jan 1, means members only have around one month minus end year festivities.

“As there are due diligence and strict processes to be adhered to by Sheda for the recalibration application, members should not submit last minute and expect a miracle,” he said.

Meanwhile, Wong said Sheda had also received calls from other industries and proceeded to inform the public that Sheda confines its services only to members, their sub-contractors and contractors in general.

For more information on submission and application for recalibration of foreign workers, contact Sheda secretariat at 082366334, 082366434, or via fax at 082365001, or email at secretariat@sheda.org.my, or WhatsApp at 0168972723 and 0168882856.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3q1VRzm
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