Malaysia shuts door for Nepali security guards

Malaysia shuts door for Nepali security guards
Myrepublica, 23-Dec-09
PRABHAKAR GHIMIRE

The Malaysian government has decided to replace Nepali security guards, following immense pressure from local organizations. Nepali security guards were under the top priority of Malaysian firms since the last two years.

The recent move of the Malaysian government means there will only be a slim chance for Nepali security guards to get job opportunity in the booming South East Asian nation on the back of low demands due to global financial meltdown.

Kumud Khanal, coordinator of Nepali manpower agencies sending workers to Malaysia, said over 10,000 aspirants, who were making final preparation to work as security guard in Malaysia, will be affected by the decision. Khanal said 70,000 Nepali workers are working as security guards in Malaysia -- the second largest job market for Nepal after Saudi Arabia.

“The fresh move of the Malaysian government will affect over 10,000 Nepali workers, who had been preparing to leave for Malaysia. Furthermore, there will be no extension of three-year working period of existing security guards,” Khanal said. Khanal´s agency alone was preparing to send some 5,000 security guards to Malaysia.

Khanal said involvement of Nepali security guards in criminal activities, low English language skills and the trend of sending youths having no police and military service background were the major reasons that prompted the Malaysian government to take the decision.

Malaysia´s Barnama this week stated that local security service agencies have agreed to recruit members of Civil Defense Department (JPAM) and People´s Volunteer Crops (Rela) in place of foreign security guards, particularly those from Nepal.

“As JPAM and Rela have trained volunteers, there was no reason for the country to rely on foreign security guards, especially those from Nepal,” the news agency quoted Director-General of JPAM, Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, as saying. "We held several discussions and meetings with the Security Services Association of Malaysia. At the end of the talks, they (association) agreed to take JPAM and Rela members as security guards."

Speaking to mediapersons, secretary general at Malaysian Home Ministry Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam proposed to use over a million JPAM and Rela members to replace foreign security guards. Adam also said replacement of foreign security guard would be expanded nationwide, according to the agency.

According to the news reports, JPAM currently has about 80,000 members which will increase to 100,000 by the year-end. Rela has over one million trained workers and the number is expected to reach 2.5 million by the end of next year. JPAM and Rela leaders have also assured that the recruiting companies need not give intensive training to their members.

Responding to rising unemployment, Malaysia has been closing fresh recruitments in service and manufacturing sector - two major sectors hit hard by the global financial meltdown.

Tilak Ranabhat, president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agents (NAFEA), said the Malaysian government took the decision to replace foreign workers, especially Nepalis, with local youths, bowing to pressure from local organizations. Ranabhat, who is also involved in sending Nepalis to Malaysia, said a Nepali guard can earn at least Rs 30,000 per month in Malaysia.

According to Department of Foreign Employment, a total 20,619 Nepalis left for Malaysia during the first four months of current fiscal year, down from 21,593 recorded during the same period last year.