Recently, the Malaysian government announced an important reform measure for foreign workers, planning to revise the 1991 Employee Provident Fund Act to require employers to contribute 2% of their base salary as provident fund for foreign workers. This move is expected to benefit 2 to 2.5 million foreign workers, providing them with more stable welfare protection.

According to a report by The Star, Ahmad Zukunan, CEO of the Malaysian Employees Provident Fund Board, stated that the participation of foreign workers in the provident fund scheme is voluntary at present, but the government believes that legal means should be used to ensure that all foreign workers can enjoy this benefit. Therefore, the government will revise relevant laws and plans to submit this amendment during the upcoming parliamentary session.

Amozukenan emphasized that the government attaches great importance to the protection of the rights and interests of foreign workers, and hopes to provide them with more fair treatment through this measure. He pointed out that the housing provident fund is an important social security system that can provide retirement, medical and other protection for workers. For foreign workers, as they usually do not have the support of the local social security system, they need such benefits even more to ensure their basic livelihood.

It is understood that once the amendment is passed, foreign workers and employers will each be required to contribute 2% of the housing provident fund. This policy will apply to all foreign workers working in Malaysia, regardless of their industry or position. The government will ensure the smooth implementation of policies and strengthen supervision over employers to ensure that they pay their housing provident fund on time and in full.

This reform measure has received widespread attention from foreign workers and people from all walks of life. Many foreign workers express that they welcome this policy very much, as it will provide them with more stable income and better welfare protection. Meanwhile, some employers have also expressed support for this policy, believing that it will help improve the work enthusiasm and loyalty of foreign workers.

The Malaysian government has always attached great importance to the protection of the rights and interests of foreign workers. In recent years, the government has taken a series of measures to improve the working and living conditions of foreign workers, including strengthening the enforcement of labor regulations, increasing the wages and benefits of foreign workers, and enhancing training and education for foreign workers. The revision of the housing provident fund law is also one of the important measures taken by the government in this regard.