PETALING JAYA: My E.G. Services Bhd (MyEG) has clarified that there was no delay in announcing online renewal of foreign maid and foreign worker permits.

In response to a local news report, MyEG said online renewal of foreign maid permits has been available to the public on its portal since 2011. This service was followed by the launch of online renewal of foreign worker permits in 2013.

"The board of directors also wishes to clarify that the online renewal of foreign maid and foreign worker permits are part of MyEG's ordinary course of business involving development and implementation of e-government services and the provision of other related services for the e-government initiatives," it said in a statement to Bursa Malaysia.

Besides that, MyEG stressed that it is the government's prerogative to make it compulsory for the online renewal of foreign maid and foreign worker permits and the group could not make any announcement on behalf of the government.

It noted that the online renewal of foreign maid and foreign worker permits contributed about 5% of the group's revenue for the first quarter of financial year ending June 30, 2015, before the cessation of permits renewal at the counter.

"The cessation of permits renewal of foreign maid and foreign worker at the counter is expected to contribute positively to the earnings of MyEG's group in the future, but we are not able to ascertain the exact impact at this point in time," it said.

MyEG also said that the approved RM38 convenience fee has been imposed since the start of the online renewal of foreign maid and foreign worker permits in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

Earlier this week, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia criticised the mandatory online renewal of foreign workers permits and said that the appointment of MyEG Services as the sole provider for the service is a bad precedence and against the Competition Act 2010.