Malaysia freezes intake of Indian workers

Malaysia has frozen the intake of workers from India, an official said Tuesday, amid a government crackdown on dissent by the multicultural nation's ethnic Indian community.
A home ministry spokesman refused to confirm whether the move, which is certain to anger India, was linked to unprecedented protests by ethnic Indian Malaysians and the jailing of prominent activists.
"There is a freeze in the intake of Indian foreign workers effective December 18," the official told AFP, adding that the move relates mostly to unskilled labourers, not Indian professionals.
"This is a government decision, no reasons were given," he added.
He confirmed the curbs also extend to three other groups of workers from India -- priests, sculptors and musicians -- a decision which religious leaders condemned earlier Tuesday.
The Malaysian Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism said foreign priests already in the country have only been given six-month visa renewals and told they must leave after expiry.
The council's president A. Vaithilingam said the restrictions affected 200 Hindu priests in Malaysia, and that there would now not be enough to conduct prayers at important temples.
"We are shocked by the announcement," Vaithilingam told AFP. "We want an explanation from the prime minister and the government on this."
A row over race and religion has gripped Malaysia in recent months, triggered by a mass rally last November when protesters alleged ethnic Indians faced discrimination at the hands of majority Muslim Malays.