Nepal has sent a draft of labour agreement to Malaysia in response to a similar document it received from Kuala Lumpur a month ago. The two governments are in negotiations to develop a legal framework to protect and promote the rights of an estimated 700,000 Nepali migrants working in Malaysia.

During his Nepal visit in August, Malaysian Human Resources Minister Richard Riot Jaem had pledged a high-level taskforce to fast track the signing process. The memorandum of understanding dispatched last week to Malaysia seeks the host country’s firm commitment to safeguard rights of migrant workers through internationally accepted provisions. 

The Ministry of Labour and Employment said the draft has been modelled on agreements signed by other countries in South Asia. Concerned officials said the draft envisions set terms in providing minimum wage scale, maximum work hours, gratuity, leave, food and accommodation and health services.

It also envisions measures to cut exorbitant recruitment fees and strengthen safety and security of migrant workers. Nepali workers are forced to pay more than Rs 120,000 to go to Malaysia even as the government has fixed Rs 80,000 as the maximum fee.

“We have commented on the draft that Malaysia sent us last month. We have clarified our points on certain issues,” said Buddhi Bahadur Khadka, head of Foreign Employment Division at the ministry. Malaysia had sent a different set of draft to Nepal last month, without acknowledging similar drafts the latter corresponded in the past.

It is the third time that Nepal has submitted the draft to Malaysia since 2011. The ministry had sent the draft for the second time in June last year. Ministry sources said preparations are also under way to sign a separate agreement on domestic workers which would allow Nepali women to work in Malaysia.

Nepal is yet to sign labour agreement with major destinations of Nepali workers, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon and Oman owing to lack of interest from the host countries. The government is currently pursuing agreement with Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman, while renewing its agreements with Qatar, South Korea, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, according to the ministry officials.

The government had recently submitted a separate draft on female migrant workers to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait--the first and fifth largest labour destinations of Nepali migrant workers.

Published on: 29 December 2014 | The Kathmandu Post