With the Malaysian government reopening 10 additional sectors to provide employment to illegal migrant workers who have undergone the legalisation process under its amnesty programme, Malaysian firms will now be able to hire Nepali security guards—a job that Nepalis consider one of the most lucrative in the country.

 

The Nepali Embassy here termed the Malaysian government’s decision ‘positive’. “We are waiting for the formal notification,” said Nepal’s Ambassador to Malaysia Rishi Raj Adhikari, adding that he would seek more information about the labour policy during his meeting with Malaysia’s Home Minister. According to Adhikari, the scheme is applicable only for those who have been legalised under the amnesty scheme.

 

Around 25,000 Nepalis staying here illegally will benefit from the new labour policy, according to the Nepali Embassy. An estimated 1 million workers from various countries would also land jobs. However, the Malaysian government has said such workers will be allowed to work for a maximum period of two years.

 

According to media reports, the 10 sectors opened are croupier, mining, mangrove wood, café and catering, restaurant, fast food, grass cutting, newspaper vendor, house and vehicle cleaners and auto workshop workers. 

 

The 11 sub-sectors are scrap metal, cargo handling, welfare home, spa and reflexology, hotel, golf caddy, laundry, barber, goldsmith, wholesale and retail and textile business. Earlier, migrant workers were only allowed in production, construction, agriculture, plantation and service sectors.

 

According to the official Malaysian Home Ministry’s website, the government has allowed a company to hire up to 70 security guards. 

 

However, the exact number of security guards to be hired has not been mentioned yet. Last week, Malaysian authorities, based on the decision to hire such legalised individuals, interviewed 47 local recruiting agencies willing to provide them with security guard jobs.