FWCMS still has no contract

KUALA LUMPUR: The Foreign Worker Centered Management System (FWCMS) developed by the Ministry of Human Resources (KSM) last year, was found to still not have a contract until now.

Based on the Auditor General’s Report 2022 released today, FWCMS replaces the Integrated Foreign Worker Management System (ePPAx) which was developed at a cost of RM19.39 million.

“In addition, the security control of the FWCMS system found that two IDs of users who act as KSM Super Admins are held by individuals who are not KSM officers,” he said.

According to LKAN 2022, overall, based on the scope of auditing, it can be concluded that the management of foreign workers through the ePPAx and FWCMS systems is less than satisfactory.

He said that the ePPAx system with a development cost of RM19.39 million could not be used optimally because its use was limited to the qualification quota recommendation process through the issuance of Peninsular Malaysia Manpower Department (JTKSM) certificates only.

“In addition, the quota approval process by the one-stop center (OSC), the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) was also not implemented using the OSC Module in the ePPAx system as well as the Cabinet’s decision to use FWCMS for the management of foreign workers.

“There is also a weakness in the management of the ePPAx system, which is that the system settings are changed and quota applications are made outside the period of the Workforce Recalibration (RTK) program,” he said.

According to LKAN 2022, the achievement of FWCMS implementation has not yet been evaluated because 12 complete modules are only used for one source country, namely Bangladesh, compared to the 15 source countries allowed.

In addition, there are weaknesses in the management of the implementation of the system i.e. the agreement has not been signed, the rights of the government cannot be determined, the method and direction of implementation are not clear, the initial screening function and quota eligibility count are deactivated and the user ID control is not organized.

The audit recommends that KSM and KDN should discuss and decide who will be fully responsible for the foreign worker management system without neglecting the needs of all stakeholders.

Based on LKAN 2022, KSM and KDN must implement an efficient, transparent and integrity management process for foreign workers including all foreign worker management processes that occur inside and outside the system.

“This process needs to take into account the rights, limitations, jurisdiction and functions of all related Government agencies in line with the current Government policy and their respective acts to ensure effective management, monitoring and control of foreign workers.

“KSM and KDN need to ensure that the system used or managed has quota limit setting control as a mechanism to control the approval of foreign workers according to the country’s employment needs,” he said.