Foreign Worker Levy Price Increase Put On Hold
The levy hike for foreign workers has been put on hold and a final decision will be made after Chinese New Year following consultations with employers, The Star reports.
According to the report, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the prime minister had called him, when he was in Beijing, to look at the rate and validity period.
He said this yesterday when asked if the rates, to be announced after Chinese New Year, could be lowered.
“We will look into it.
“The prime minister called me when I was in Beijing and asked me to look at certain aspects of the policy, including the rate and validity period,” Zahid said, according to the report.
He added that the government was aware of the employers’ concerns and wanted to listen to what they had to say.
“We want to hear their views, but let us be reminded that the new move would contribute RM4 billion to the country’s coffers,” Zahid was quoted as saying.
The new rate came into effect on February 1, where for the manufacturing, construction and service sectors, the levy was set at RM2,500 while those in the plantation and agriculture sectors would have to pay RM1,500 in levy.
The report said representatives from the Malaysian Employers Federation, manufacturers, guild associations and non-governmental organisations would be called to discuss the new policy, which was announced as part of the Budget 2016 revision.
At the same time, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the Government would probably hold further dialogues with businesses to see how they could offset the extra foreign workers’ levy.
News sources: The Malaysian Insider & Yahoo News