Gov't denies 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers will be recruited

PUTRAJAYA: The government today denied reports that 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers will be recruited in stages over the next three years to work in the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the figure of 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh was an exaggeration.
"The reported figure of 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers is actually the number of Bangladeshi citizens already registered with their government to seek employment," he said, after chairing the Special Committee on halal development and industry at the Prime Minister's Department this evening.
"And let me stress that there is no specific or definite number of Bangladeshi workers to be recruited in Malaysia over a period of time, whether it is three or five years," he pointed out.
"We will only allow new foreign workers intake based on supply and demand."
He said the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) G-to-G plus between the Malaysian and Bangladeshi governments will only materialise after Malaysia's Cabinet gives the green light expected by end of the month.
"Human Resource Minister Datuk Sri Richard Riot will meet Bangladesh government officials on Feb 18 to finalise the agreement. He will come back later and present it to the Cabinet for approval," he said.
Ahmad Zahid who is also Home Minister added that the government would scrutinise and track closely the influx of foreign workers into the country to ensure it would be adequate for the construction, plantation, agriculture, service and manufacturing sectors.
"For example, foreign workers who came here earlier will be sent back after their permits expire. So there won't be so many of them here," he said, adding that priorities would still be given to locals for job opportunities.
As part of the proposed agreement with Bangladesh, Ahmad Zahid revealed that workers from Bangladesh will undergo familiarisation training and medical screening before coming to Malaysia.
He also said the Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Sri Alwi Ibrahim would be meeting stakeholders before Feb 20, including industry leaders, trade associations and NGOs to finalise details and the proposed increase of levy fees.