Rethink foreign recruitment freeze
We join the Malaysian industry's demand that the freeze on foreign labour recruitment initiated by that country's government is putting severe pressure on several sectors including furniture making and export-oriented sectors. Indeed the calls for a revisit of the decision is gathering steam as industries desperately need foreign workers to help with production and apparently these demands are now being openly discussed in the Malaysian political sphere. It is interesting to note that the parties that had originally pressurised the government to put the freeze on foreign labourer recruitment are now rethinking their demand since it is the Malaysian economy that is suffering the brunt of acute labour shortages.
It is clearly in the interests of both countries that the workers are allowed to stay. We are somewhat surprised at the constant exchange of words and commitments made by both the governments of Malaysia and Bangladesh and equally surprised at the about face decision in February by Malaysian authorities that froze all foreign recruitment. This came a day after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two governments that was supposed to pave the way for recruitment of 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh over a three year period!
Now that Malaysian entrepreneurs themselves have raised the demand for foreign workers, we urge the government of Malaysia to rethink its ban and renew the talks with its Bangladeshi counterpart to take our workers to power the wheels of the Malaysian economy. This is a win-win situation for both nations and the time to act is now.
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