THE Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) will study the proposal to enact a special law related to providing allowances for industrial or practical training students to prevent labour exploitation and protect their rights. 

Its Minister V. Sivakumar said the existing law, the Employment Act 1955, is sufficient to protect the rights of workers, including students undergoing industrial training.

“I want to explain that the existing law (the Employment Act 1955) is sufficient, but we are ready to study the recommendations of certain parties who want the ministry to review the law to ensure that the rights of students undergoing industrial training are protected,” he told reporters today.

Sivakumar was commenting on press reports from various parties, including the student representative council of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (Usim), urging that the proposal be expedited.  

Usim student representative council president Shamsul Aiman Mua’mar Shamsul Bahrain reportedly said the issue had been left undiscussed for too long, and it was time to present it to cabinet. 

The media had reported earlier that many well-known companies offered work placements for students undergoing practical training that did not pay them allowances. 

In another development, Sivakumar said he had instructed the Manpower Department (JTK) to ensure that any migrant worker who entered the country had a job. 

He said MOHR was very concerned about the issue of migrant workers who could not find employment, and news reports about them living as squatters. 

“I have instructed JTK to ensure that employers who bring in foreign workers to our country give them jobs,” he said. – Bernama, June 1, 2023.