Govt unsure about reported KL ban on Bangladeshi labour
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
The government could not confirm Tuesday if Malaysia has imposed a permanent embargo on import of manpower from Bangladesh as media reports suggest.
"I have not received any official letter," foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told bdnews24.com in his foreign ministry office.
He, however, did not make it clear if the Malaysian government had slapped a permanent ban on Bangladeshi workers.
According to a report by India's state-run PTI news agency from Malaysia, the Malaysian deputy minister for human resources Sunday said, "At the moment, there are about 2.6 million foreign workers in Malaysia. The number is sufficient. There should be a halt to the intake of foreign workers."
Iftekhar said the Malaysian government often imposed curbs on import of foreign manpower as it did not need an "unlimited number" of foreign workers.
"Very often Malaysian government says so (banning import of foreign workers). The demand for labour in Malaysia is not unlimited," the foreign affairs adviser said.
"Our flow [of labour export] is continuing uninterrupted as the high commission (in Kuala Lumpur) has reported to me."
The adviser said the Malaysian government could be taking a cautious approach to allowing in foreign workers as the human traffic rule came into force from Jan 1.
"Malaysia has enforced the rule with a view to reducing labour exploitation there," the adviser said.
"I have not received any official letter," foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told bdnews24.com in his foreign ministry office.
He, however, did not make it clear if the Malaysian government had slapped a permanent ban on Bangladeshi workers.
According to a report by India's state-run PTI news agency from Malaysia, the Malaysian deputy minister for human resources Sunday said, "At the moment, there are about 2.6 million foreign workers in Malaysia. The number is sufficient. There should be a halt to the intake of foreign workers."
Iftekhar said the Malaysian government often imposed curbs on import of foreign manpower as it did not need an "unlimited number" of foreign workers.
"Very often Malaysian government says so (banning import of foreign workers). The demand for labour in Malaysia is not unlimited," the foreign affairs adviser said.
"Our flow [of labour export] is continuing uninterrupted as the high commission (in Kuala Lumpur) has reported to me."
The adviser said the Malaysian government could be taking a cautious approach to allowing in foreign workers as the human traffic rule came into force from Jan 1.
"Malaysia has enforced the rule with a view to reducing labour exploitation there," the adviser said.