International Desk: Malaysia's Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has launched a new system that will help them manage foreign workers in the country's construction sector.

Under this system, foreign workers will be required to register through a biometric system when they get their construction skills certificate verified by CIDB in their home country.

The Industrial Development Board also said that the initiative will only allow migrant workers with legal qualifications to work in the construction sector.

The CIDB's new system will also help monitor the welfare of foreign workers, including managing their housing, the country's official spokesperson Bernama reported.

The system will also help company owners monitor their responsibilities to comply with various employment and health related laws to ensure the health and safety of workers.

On Monday 14 (October), the country's Employment Minister Alexander Nanta Lingi said the system is not yet mandatory, but his ministry is strongly encouraging company owners to register their workers in the system.

As of September, there are a total of 465,591 registered foreign construction workers nationwide, including 150,699 in Kuala Lumpur and 166,456 in Selangor, according to the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).

The country's employment minister also said that although many of these workers are like us; They are working in our country as foreigners. However, their welfare is not taken lightly by the government, which is why the ministry has introduced this system