Ameerul Izudin Noor Haslan; Mohd Zaidi Md Zabri; Nurhuda Othman (Employees Provident Fund (EPF), 2025)
Malaysia's reliance on migrant workers, initially intended to fill labour shortages in 3D sectors (dirty, dangerous, and difficult), has contributed to wage suppression, socioeconomic inequality, and long-term risk to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). This paper examines how weak labour governance facilitates the displacement of B40 locals from higher-value jobs, stagnates productivity, and intensifies competition with informal migrant labour, including undocumented workers. This paper advocates for a three-pronged reform strategy: prioritising the upskilling of the B40 group, implementing innovative migration governance, and aligning social protection systems with productivity initiatives. These integrated policies are necessary to protect the EPF's viability and promote equitable growth aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
