India, Malaysia to sign MoU

India and Malaysia have finalised an MoU on labour, which will lay down the institutional framework for protection of Indian immigrant workers. Read on...

India and Malaysia have finalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on labour, which will lay down the institutional framework for protection of Indian immigrant workers, Government said on Thursday.

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"The two governments are completing necessary procedures for signing the MoU (on Labour and Manpower Development) at the earliest," Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi told the Rajya Sabha.

The proposed MoU will lay down the institutional framework for bilateral cooperation o facilitate employment and protection and welfare of Indian immigrant labourers, especially unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers, he said.
The Minister said existing Indian workers will also be covered under the MoU.

The MoU, which has been finalised at the official level, also provides for setting up of a Joint Working Group for better coordination between the two countries on labour issues.

There have been complaints of Indian workers in Malaysia being left stranded by agents or being forced to work for minimal wages in difficult working conditions. India has signed MoUs with several Gulf countries to protect the rights of its workers there.