PUTRAJAYA: The foreign worker salary payment system implemented in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the systems that Malaysia is studying to improve the management of foreign workers in the country.

Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Dr M Saravanan said in a statement that the system was among the topics discussed with his UAE counterpart Dr Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al-Awar during his working visit in Dubai yesterday.

"The systematic salary payment system implemented by the UAE government is seen as an effective system that protects the interests of foreign workers," he said.

Malaysia is currently in the final stages of refining the e-Wages system that will be launched soon to ensure every worker in the country, including foreign workers, are paid salaries and wages as promised by their employers.

Saravanan said various related issues were also discussed, including labour, human resource management and foreign worker management aspects.

He said the meeting also discussed strategic partnership opportunities between Malaysia and the UAE under a two-way agreement for professionals and highly-skilled workers.

"This includes potential job opportunities. This matter will be discussed in detail between senior officers from both countries," he said.

Over 6,000 Malaysians are currently working in the UAE, especially in the petroleum and healthcare sectors.

-- BERNAMA