In addition, the module is part of the holistic Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS) platform and integrated with the FWCMS Bio-Medical system implemented at the Accredited Medical Centres.

International Labour Organizations (ILO) has been at the forefront of highlighting malpractices in recruitment processes where the primary concern is on the high migration costs i.e. high fees paid to recruiters which have the impact of the migration on the migrant worker to indebtedness and contributing to the unbalanced distribution gains from migration (Piyasari Wickramasekara and Nilim Baruah; January 2017). High recruitment costs also lead to irregular migration by deterring the migrant workers from using the legal channels or driving them to abscond from their employers when excessive recruitment fees are deducted from their wages. Based on ILO Migration Agenda in 2014, fair recruitment is adopted as one of its main pillars and is understood to mean as recruitment carried out within the law, in line with international labour standards, and with respect for human rights, without discrimination and protecting the migrant workers from abusive situations. There are many challenges to ensure fair recruitment; one of it is to combine the responsibility of both labour sending countries and receiving countries of a fair recruitment process, by harmonizing the legislation in conformity with existing international standards.

Divergences between origin and destination countries have created opportunities for unscrupulous recruitment agencies to exploit the system to their advantage. In fact, labour migration has become a business involving substantial amounts of money, often paid by the most vulnerable and unprotected categories of low-level migrant workers from developing countries. If the cost can be reduced, more money would be left in the hands of the migrants and their families and their communities’ benefits. A study by the Action Group in 2015 stated that a human rights-based approach is essential to ensure that migrant workers have real opportunities for decent work. The main challenges for the governments of the labour sending and receiving countries are to promote legal migration, regulate the labour market for labour recruiters efficiently, establish an adequate enforcement mechanism and encourage partnership between public employment services and private employment agencies, protect migrant workers from abuses and prevent unfair competition in recruitment. The recruitment process involves three components: first mile issues in labour sending countries, the migration process itself, and the last mile issues in labour receiving countries. Measures can be taken at each stage of the recruitment process include the pre-departures procedures and services, regulating labour recruiters including private employment agencies through statutory legislation, bilateral agreements (Memorandum of Understanding), reducing recruitment costs, and corruptive practises, education migrants about working conditions and rights, and supporting business to adopt and implement policy commitments. 

In Bestinet, our mission is to create a holistic platform that is beneficial to all stakeholders while protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for the migrant workers and their families. We always believe that by carrying this out, the world would be fairer and more equitable. Through the years of our establishment, we have developed modules within the holistic platform which is in conformance to what ILO and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) have stated all along. Modules such as Bio-Recruitments, Bio-Induction and Bio-Medical System in which, if implemented in labour sending countries would resolve the challenges highlighted by ILO. We also have built a platform that complements and enhances the capabilities of the labour sending countries called Migrant Management System (MiGRAMs). Both platforms, either in labour sending and receiving countries are integrated with which the management of migrant workers be done holistically. These give benefits for all stakeholders including the migrant workers themselves.

The Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) developed by Bestinet Sdn Bhd was recognised as one of the world’s 40 best digital projects at the World Summit Awards (WSA) in Austria this year. 

“It is a privilege for a Malaysian-developed solution to have been selected. We are honoured to be invited to present our innovations in front of United Nations (UN) representatives, Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) ministries and the private sector at the World Summit Global Congress in Vienna,” said Bestinet chief executive officer Ismail Mohd Noor.

FWCMS, also known as MIGRAMS, is a holistic online migrant workers management system, which was developed specifically for governments.

Adopted by the Malaysian government, the system was recognised as one of the world’s 40 best digital projects that help meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and was selected from close to 400 submissions from 180 countries, including Austria, Georgia, India and Portugal.

Ismail said WSA winners were selected by a jury of international ICT experts in two democratic rounds.

“Each UN member state is eligible to nominate one product per category for the WSA and FWCMS was recognised for demonstrating best practices in digital innovation by impacting the community,” he added.

The system has all the elements of safeguarding the security of destination countries, the health and wellbeing of citizens and migrant workers, enforcement of compliance of processes and looking after the welfare of migrant workers.

FWCMS is designed to assist users and stakeholders in compliance and regulatory processes related to migrant workers, from selecting, recruiting, regular management, monitoring and ensuring that workers return safely.

With simultaneous implementation in source and destination countries, the system not only provides beneficial information to stakeholders — governments, employers, migrant workers, insurance providers and medical practitioners — but performs in an efficient, simplified, effective and reliable methodology to manage, track and report on their migrant workforce.

“We are confident that FWCMS will help to make the recruitment and management of workers more efficient and transparent as it eliminates the time-consuming processes while enabling governments from source and destination countries to monitor the processes in real time.”

WSA chairman Peter A. Bruck said the awards recognised tomorrow’s innovation, today.

“To drive meaningful and relevant digital innovation, you have to serve local needs and compare with global excellence. This year’s winners are an excellent selection of this momentum.”

KUALA LUMPUR: Bestinet Sdn Bhd menjadi syarikat tunggal Malaysia meraih anugerah berprestij pada majlis Anugerah World Summit di Vienna, Austria baru-baru ini mengalahkan lebih 400 penyertaan dari 180 negara.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Ismail Mohd Noor, berkata anugerah yang diterima pihaknya melalui kategori Government And Citizen Engagement itu bagi projek digital Sistem Pengurusan Berpusat Pekerja Asing yang juga dikenali sebagai MIGRAMS (FWCMS / MIGRAM).

Beliau berkata, ia juga diiktiraf sebagai 40 projek digital terbaik di dunia yang membantu memenuhi matlamat pembangunan lestari Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB).

“Bestinet diiktiraf antara yang terbaik bersama 39 projek dari 24 negara yang mempamerkan amalan terbaik dunia dalam inovasi digital dengan memberi kesan kepada masyarakat melalui FWCMS / MIGRAMS.

“Anugerah ini satu lagi penghargaan kepada syarikat dalam inovasi digital.

“FWCMS / MIGRAMS adalah sistem yang menyoroti empat komponen utama iaitu keselamatan, kesihatan, kebajikan dan pematuhan dalam sistem pengurusan tunggal yang bersatu, memberi manfaat kepada semua pemegang berkepentingan.

“Kami kini yakin berada tahap kukuh menjadi pembekal perkhidmatan teknologi maklumat terbaik di Malaysia dan di peringkat global,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan.

FWCMS / MIGRAMS adalah sistem holistik dalam talian sepenuhnya yang direka bentuk membantu pengguna dan pihak berkepentingan dalam proses pematuhan dan pengawalseliaan berkaitan dengan pekerja asing dari pemilihan, pengambilan, pengurusan berkala, pemantauan serta memastikan pekerja pulang dengan selamat.

Penyelidikan dan pembangunan FWCMS / MIGRAMS membabitkan cabaran dan dalam tempoh yang panjang bagi membangunkan penyelesaian berpusat dengan kerjasama lebih daripada 13 buah negara serta pihak berkuasa.