As per schedule, on Monday, NEFEMA will stage a protest against the Malaysian embassy in Pulchowk with placards and banners and submit a petition against the introduction of the bio-medical test system. Similarly, on Wednesday, it will stage a protest at Department of Foreign Employment in Tinkune.
On Thursday, NEFEMA will stage a protest at Hanumansthan, in Anamnagar, against the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.It will then submit a petition at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Bio-Medical Test System comprises of medical related equipment like biometric device, web camera, printer, passport scanner including the Bestinet software, developed by Bestinet Sdn Bhd — a software and technology wing of JR Group of Malaysia.
“Bestinet Sdn Bhd has been lobbying strongly with the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) of Nepal in order to launch the Bio-Medical system in the country in clandestine manner,” said chairperson of NEFEMA Khadga Bahadur Shrestha, who also claimed that with the introduction of this system, the cost for both medical check-up centres and for foreign job aspirants wishing to go to Malaysia will increase by $15 (Rs 1500 approximately) per person initially. At present, foreign job aspirants to Malaysia pay Rs 2625 per person for medical check-up.
On the other hand, secretary at MoLE Suresh Man Shrestha said: “The Malaysian government has given the sole authority to its Ministry of Home Affairs to launch Bio-Medical Test System in Nepal about which the Malaysian embassy in Nepal also briefed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal.”
He also added that the Malaysian government has hinted about launching the Bio-Medical System in Nepal and 14 other countries from where people migrate to Malaysia for job placements.
Regarding the launch of Bio-Medical Test System, MoLE had called a meeting with officials of concerned government agencies and representatives of various umbrella bodies working in the foreign employment sector on January 6. The meeting raised various questions about the necessity of the Bio-Medical System in the Nepali context.
General secretary of NEFEMA Madhav Prasad Gautam pointed out that due to the high cost involved in installing the software, some medical check-up centres may have to close shop.
The cost of setting up the Bio-Medical System is around $8000 (Rs eight lakh approximately) and medical centres will have the additional burden of renewing the Bestinet software every year which will cost around Rs 264,000.
According to chairperson of NEFEMA Shrestha, “Some medical check-up centres will not be able to bear this cost because the average number of migrants that each receives is very low.” On an average 800 people migrate to Malaysia for jobs, which means each medical centre will get only four candidates on average. This translates to an earning of about Rs 10,500 per day or Rs 383,200 annually, whereas the renewal charge of Bio-Medical Test System is Rs 264,000 per year.
---
Quelle/Source: The Himalayan Times, 12.01.2014
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
