MyEG should not have access to workers’ private data, says employers group

Foreign workers returning home after work. The Malaysian Employers Federation says private companies like MyEG should not be allowed access to the workers personal information. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 24, 2015.

A private company like MyEG Services Bhd should not have access to private information, such as the personal details, of foreign workers as it could be misused and even affect national security, said the Malaysian Employers Federation.

MEF executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan told The Malaysian Insider that such confidential information should only be available to the government.

"It is dangerous for a third party like MyEG to be allowed access to the names, contact details of foreign workers, and their employers," he said when contacted today.

"If the information falls into the wrong hands or is abused, it could have far-reaching implications. It could even affect national security," Shamsuddin said.

He said the MEF also disagreed with the government's decision to award the contract for foreign worker permit renewals solely to MyEG as it was essentially a monopoly.

"This is the wrong move, a private third party company like MyEG should not be allowed to monopolise the renewal of permits for foreign workers."

Shamsuddin welcomed Putrajaya's decision to reopen counters at the Immigration Department for bosses to renew their foreign workers’ permits, but said Putrajaya should not impose a deadline of February 28, after which the counters would be closed and all applications would be via online.

"Putrajaya should give the public the option of whether they want to renew the permit online or by going to the counter," Shamsuddin said.

The counters had been reopened following unhappiness expressed by employers and other groups, who had been forced to renew permits online via MyEG with an extra RM38 fee since January 5.

Meanwhile, The Star reported today that MyEG was confident of handling millions of online applications with the installation of a bigger capacity server if the current system could not cope.

MyEG executive director Datuk Raja Munir Shah Raja Mustapa said if the volume was too high, the company just needed to buy a bigger capacity server.

“We can handle it," he said in response to concerns that its system might not be able to cope with the sudden surge in volume if all employers were forced to apply for renewals online via MyEG.

Raja Munir Shah said before handling the renewal of permits for foreign workers, the company had been involved in online applications for foreign maids in the past two years.

“We have the experience to handle thousands of applications," The Star quoted him as saying.

"We make the application for work permits easy and hassle-free because applicants need not waste hours standing in queue just to submit the forms."

“And we deliver the permits to their doorstep,” he said. –

- TMI