An aide to human resources minister R Ramanan has hit out at members of parliament Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad regarding their recent criticisms of the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS).
Political secretary Aizuddin Abd Gaffal stated that both Rafizi and Nik Nazmi should have adhered to the principle of collective responsibility.
This principle is a key component of the Code of Ethics for members of the administration and MPs.
Aizuddin pointed out that the extension of the FWCMS contract until 2031 was approved on June 24, 2024.
At that time, both individuals were still serving as members of the Cabinet under the purview of the home ministry.
Questions over timing of criticism
During that period, the two critics held authority and access to information as Cabinet members.
Aizuddin questioned why concerns regarding alleged weaknesses in the system were not raised while they were part of the decision-making body.
He remarked that the sudden highlighting of these issues now raises questions about consistency and integrity in politics.
Rafizi and Nik Nazmi resigned from their ministerial posts in May last year but remain the MPs for Pandan and Setiawangsa respectively.
The two lawmakers, joined by eight other PKR MPs, recently opposed the proposed Universal Recruitment Advanced Platform, or Turap.
They argued that existing platforms and the upcoming National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe) make Turap unnecessary.
Overlapping systems and ministerial clarification
The MPs had expressed concerns that the FWCMS had operated for over six years without a formal contract.
They also claimed that system control weaknesses allowed unauthorised users to approve employer applications.
Aizuddin noted that neither Rafizi nor Nik Nazmi voiced objections when the Public Accounts Committee previously raised the issue of a potential overlap between the FWCMS and NIISe.
He suggested that their current statements confuse the public.
He added that the critics appeared unable to distinguish between the basic functions of the foreign worker recruitment system and the immigration system.
The human resources ministry has since clarified that it is exploring an AI-powered digital platform to improve the recruitment ecosystem.
The ministry emphasised that all proposals, including Turap, are still being refined and no final decision has been made.
