MINISTER QUESTIONS RATIONALE BEHIND EMPLOYERS HOLDING FOREIGNERS` PASSPORTS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- The rationale behind employers holding on
to the passports of their foreign workers has not left Human Resources Minister
Dr S. Subramaniam amused.

Questioning the need for employers to keep their workers' passports,
he
reasoned that under the law, no one should keep another's passport.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, most foreign workers in the country have
mutually agreed to hand over their passports to their respective employers due
to security reasons.

"But, by looking at the situational basis, it's up to the employees whether
they want to hand over their passports to their employers or not.

"(Nevertheless) The ministry will work closely with the home ministry to
study the rationale behind this," Subramaniam told reporters after launching the
School of Information Technology of Nirwana Academy Group of Colleges here
Wednesday.

There are currently three million foreign workers in the country, of
which
about 1.1 million are illegal.

Subramaniam said there were many implications which employers could face,
in holding the passports of their foreign workers.

Employers should ensure that the passports and the visas are not expired.
Otherwise, the workers bear the brunt of the blame, he said.

Advising foreign workers not to hand over the passports to their employers,
Subramaniam said his ministry would draw up a plan to ensure that there was no
such continuous abuse.

On another development, Subramaniam said Multimedia Development Corporation
now needed at least 15,000 workers for the Information Technology sector
annually.

He said the ministry would identify potential graduates to fill up
available vacancies.

-- BERNAMA