SEBERANG JAYA: Malaysia and Indonesia will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 17 for the recruitment of foreign workers from Indonesia.

Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan said the MoU would be signed by both parties to allow the entry of domestic workers from Indonesia into Malaysia.

According to him, issues pertaining to minimum wage, scope of employment as well as the use of valid system have been discussed.

"We have reached an agreement on several issues and finally the MoU for domestic workers will be signed in Bali, Indonesia, on March 17," he told reporters here today.

Earlier, Saravanan opened a forum by the Human Resources Development Corporation's (HRD Corp), which was also attended by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.

Saravanan said his ministry had received 200,000 applications for recruitment of workers from Bangladesh and now in the process of screening.

In another development, Saravanan said his ministry viewed seriously issues on forced labor and expressed his determination to address the problem immediately.

"This includes ratifying the 2014 Protocol to the ILO Convention on Forced Labor, 1930, and complying with the 11 guidelines outlined by the ILO in the convention, including providing workers with a conducive living environment

"For that, the Ministry has made it compulsory for employers who want to employ foreign workers to fully comply with the Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodation and Employee Facilities Act 1990 (Act 446)," he said.

Meanwhile, on the hiring of workers at nasi kandar restaurants, Saravanan said the quota for foreign workers at nasi kandar shops would remain the same, althougfh some of the shops would be allowed to operate 24 hours.

"I would like to call on these nasi kandar operators to increase the recruitment of local workers because the recruitment quota for foreign workers will remain the same and will not be increased," he added.

He also called on operators of nasi kandar restaurants to improve the cleanliness of their toilets to maintain the health of the community.

-- BERNANA