The Malaysian Indian Textiles and General Stores Association (MITA) want online system MyEG improved for the renewal of foreign workers’ permit (PLKS) to benefit local Indian traders who hire foreign workers.

The MyEG system would adversely affect local Indian traders who wished to renew the permit of their workers if the system was not improved.

Maheswary Ramasamy, secretary of MITA claimed that MyEG which took effect on Jan 5, 2015 was not efficient as there were delays in renewing work permits for foreign workers through the system which could pose risks for them being detained by the authorities for "overstaying".

Maheswary, who also runs textile shops with some 100 foreign workers in a number of states, said that there were instances where MyEG had asked her to register her company details on three occasions as the system had lost all the datas provided.

She has sent the application to renew the permits of her workers to MyEG on March 4, 2015, but till today haven't received the permit sticker. Her workers' next renewal date is due on March 20, 2016.

The workers will be deemed to be illegals after the expiry period and this poses a risk of being detained by authorities. Due to delayed issuance of the permit stickers, the workers are caught in a difficult situation where in case of emergencies, they are unable to return to their homeland.

Until MyEG is competent to hold such a huge responsibility, the government should give an option to employers to either renew with MyEG or with the Immigration Department. The MyEG was currently closed for service until Feb 15 for maintenance.

The government had apparently given exclusivity to MyEG to monopolise the business of PLKS renewal for over two million foreign workers.