Sarawak business leaders and officials address FWTA policy concerns

The Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) has called on the government to conduct a practical review of the Foreign Workers Transformation Approach (FWTA). SBF President Dato Jonathan Chai Voon Tok emphasized that while good governance is important, the policy must account for the varying needs of different industries, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to ensure compliance costs remain manageable.

Separately, Minister in the Premier’s Department Dato Sri John Sikie Tayai has urged employers to maintain direct control over their FWTA applications. This follows reports of discrepancies where third-party intermediaries allegedly misled businesses, claiming work passes were pending when official records showed they had already been approved. The Minister noted that these issues stem from a lack of transparency and excessive fees charged by middlemen rather than the FWTA platform itself. Employers are encouraged to contact the Immigration and Labour Management Unit (ILMU) directly to regain control of their accounts.