Dhaka : Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia said that the government has decided to halt the recruitment of new foreign workers into the country and scrapping of the initial plan to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers.
“There will not be one, let alone 1.5 million new foreign workers coming into our country. Employers who need workers will have to apply to legalise existing foreigners in the country without work permits or whose permits have expired,” the Daily Star quoted him as saying.
Hamidi made the statement after handing letters of appointments to new village chiefs in the Bagan Datoh parliamentary constituency.
Meanwhile, Hamidi, who also is the Home Minister, said employers had time until June 30 to legalise such foreign workers.
He said the government is bringing forward the deadline from December 31 to June 30 because employers were continuously ignoring the chances given to them.
He also asserted that the government was criticised and pressured, people should get the Malaysian Employers Federation, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers and Malaysian Trade Union Congress to help them find locals to get the job.
He also said that employers and recruitment agents would be dealt more severely and those found guilty for trafficking and harbouring illegal workers would be caned.
Presently, the recruitment agents are not afraid because they think they can get away paying a fine but that would not be the case anymore. (ANI)