Thousands of Nepalis risk losing the opportunity of working in Malaysia if the medical centres here do not upgrade to biometric testing system, as stipulated by the Malaysian government two years ago. Nearly 200,000 Nepalis fly out to Malaysia every year, making it the third largest receiver of our migrant labourers.
In 2012, the Malaysian government notified Nepal and 13 other countries to make the necessary changes. While the Except for us, everyone else has begun the process of introducing the new system putting Nepal in a spot of bother. Even Nepal’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Niranjan Man Singh Basnet, seems to be tiring of reminding authorities back home to take the directive seriously.
Some medical centres claim that the exorbitant cost (billed at approximately $8,000 dollars) is preventing them from installing the system. But they are willing to adopt the technology if the government initiates talks with its Malaysian counterpart about providing financial assistance in the upgradation. Instead of creating unnecessary debate regarding the new technology, the state should facilitate the private sector to overhaul their system so that Nepalis working in Malaysia can continue to do so.
Upgrading to biometric system will solve many problems that plague the present medical assessment system in Nepal. Many medical centres have been providing clean chit to aspiring migrant workers despite their serious health conditions. Such cases have resulted in the return of many Nepali labourers from Malaysia because they are deemed unfit, which not only costs thousands of rupees to the workers, but also raises questions regarding Nepal’s medical standards.
The concerned authorities need to stop bickering over the use of biometric and work on developing semi-skilled workers who can go abroad to work in secure conditions with better wages and ensuring the safe return of our illegal migrants.