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Malaysia to stop using foreign workers, says minister
The Associated Press , Kuala Lumpur | Wed, 04/16/2008 11:59 AM | World
Malaysia wants to completely stop using foreign workers, whose numbers have reached nearly 3 million, many of whom are in the country illegally, a news report said Wednesday.
The Star daily quoted Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar as saying he will seek the cooperation of the Human Resources Ministry and employers to reduce their numbers.
"We want to see the demand for foreigners totally scrapped, that is our aim," Syed Hamid was quoted as saying. "We need cooperation from those who are seeking workers."
He said a "collective and planned effort" from all parties is required to ensure that "we depend on our own citizens" to fill jobs.
Syed Hamid's office could not be immediately reached to confirm the report.
He did not say how the government hopes to persuade Malaysians - who have no dearth of jobs - to do low-paying menial work for which employers depend on Indonesians, Nepalese, Bangladeshis, Myanmarese and Indians. May of them are employed as plantation workers, cleaners, waiters, maids, gas station attendants and gardeners.
Earlier this year, the government said it would send home up to 200,000 legal foreign workers by 2009, and announced a decision to ban foreigners from working in front line jobs at airports and hotels. The ban is yet to be enforced.
The government says it wants to apply stricter standards for the hiring of foreign labor in order to reduce their number to 1.8 million next year and to 1.5 million by 2015. Syed Hamid did not say when he hopes to achieve the target of zero reliance on foreign workers.
Malaysia estimates there are 500,000 to 700,000 illegal immigrants in the country in addition to more than 2 million legal foreign workers. The country's total work force is about 11 million. (*)
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The Reader (not verified) — Wed, 05/21/2008 - 3:00am
Please use your brain.....those Singaporean worker are employed by their Singaporean BOSS who invested in Malaysia. If not the Malaysian boss who has the say, unless they also kick all Singaporean investor away.
Calvin (not verified) — Thu, 05/15/2008 - 12:03am
To be fair, government of Malaysia should stop using Singaporean workers especially those who have no report income tax and working permit. l hope the government not only focus on Indonesian workers, they need to take any action for other foreign workers as well.
Ketti (not verified) — Mon, 05/05/2008 - 3:19pm
Malaysia's decision to stop using foreign workers may not significantly effect to the numbers of illegal foreign workers in Malaysia. There are two reasons: first, Malaysian government could only detect the legal workers' incoming rather than illegal one; and second, the success of Malaysia's economy depends on the foreign workers i.e. many industries in Malaysia still need illegal foreign workers who can be paid lower than the standard salary.
The Reader (not verified) — Sun, 04/20/2008 - 9:15pm
I do not know from what sources the Minister has a very optimistic conclusion. Without foreign workers at the construction and services, I do no think the Malayasian's economy will grow higher than before.
A reader from Malaysia (not verified) — Wed, 04/16/2008 - 9:10pm
This is another of the many flip flop policies by the ruling UMNO-BN government. These ad hoc top down decisions, playing to the gallery after the recent electoral setbacks, have very little relevance to reality and are not supported by well reseached evidence and will naturally backfire on the policy makers. No wonder the voters in the more economically advanced states boothed them out of power. The UMNO-BN has again showed little respect and gratitude to the millions of guest workers who had contributed to the development of Malaysia at great personal sacrifice. May the people without gratitude and with bad intention reap what they sow in due course!- Posted by a Malaysian