THE government intends to open up more job opportunities for ex-convicts to replace foreign workers, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said this was because ex-prisoners, especially those who served time for minor offences, could still be productive at work.

“We can use them (ex-convicts) to replace foreign workers. The Human Resources Ministry, together with the Home Ministry, have been making collaboratively making efforts through the Social Security Organisation, with various trainings provided.

“Many (former prisoners) have been given job opportunities. Prisoners are given training and when they come out, they can join the job market,” he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

He was responding to a supplementary question from R.S.N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH), who wanted to know whether the government plans to become the facilitator between employers and prisons in having ex-convicts replace foreign workers.

Meanwhile, in response to the original question from Awang Hashim (Pendang-PN) about the number of foreign workers in the country, Sivakumar said as of September 30, the total number stood at 2.73 million.

He said they included 1.83 million active temporary employment pass holders, 152,158 foreign workers who had yet to enter the country and 747,167 registered illegal immigrants under the Workforce Recalibration Programme 2.0.

“The use of foreign workers is to meet the labour needs of certain sectors that are difficult to fill with local workers. Therefore, the government is implementing various initiatives, across ministries and agencies, to encourage the local workforce to venture into jobs in sectors dominated by foreign workers.

“The ministry encourages industries to switch to automation, mechanisation and digitalisation, which can create demand for high-skilled workers, hence gradually reducing the dependence on low-skilled foreign workers,” he added. – Bernama, October 31, 2023.