KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Employment Agencies Malaysia (Papa) has urged the government to consider allowing the entry of domestic workers into the country as soon as possible.

Papa president Datuk Foo Yong Hooi said this was to solve several issues faced by families, and to bring back some normalcy.

These include having to send aged parents to nursing homes, because of non-availability of domestic workers.

"This has hurt the heart of aged parents as they feel they are being abandoned by their children, as almost all nursing homes do not allow any visitors. 

"Work from home arrangements are gradually being abolished, resulting in families having urgent needs of domestic workers to take care of their young children.

"Employees may be forced to resign from work if no one helps to take care of their children during their absence," he said in a statement today.

Foo said Papa supported the standard operating procedures imposed on foreigners implemented by the Health Ministry as a stringent procedure would protect Malaysians and welcomed the announcement by the government that 32,000 migrant workers for the plantation sector would be allowed to be brought in.

He hoped the procedure for this matter would be simplified to expedite workers arrival, with plantations needing workers to harvest its fruits as the price for palm oil was currently high.

"Papa also urges the cabinet to look into the issue of worker shortages in other sectors, which will hamper the economic recovery of our nation.

"Papa hopes that private employment agencies (APS) will be given more roles to play in foreign workers' recruitment.

"The government should also give its full support to APS to be involved in local placements."

Foo added Papa supported the statement by the Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, that APS licensed by the ministry should not make statements or advertisements regarding the entry of domestic workers from source countries that would confuse employers.

"It is clear that as today, the Immigration Department has not accepted and processed any application submitted by APS to bring in domestic workers.

"Papa urges the public to take heed of the minister's advice to prevent from falling into the scam," said Foo.

Yesterday, Saravanan said there had been no entry of foreign workers - including foreign maids - into the country from source countries since implementing the Movement Control Order following the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the government had decided that there would be no entry for both categories of foreign workers until Dec 31, 2021.

The decision to allow entry of foreign workers would be officially announced by the government after a discussion between the National Security Council, Human Resources Ministry, Home Ministry, Health Ministry, and other relevant agencies, he added.