Tiada keperluan tambah pekerja asing, kata Ramanan

Malaysian Human Resources Minister R Ramanan stated there is no need to increase the number of foreign workers, dismissing a claim by a Bangladeshi Deputy Minister that 200,000 Bangladeshi workers would be brought to Malaysia over the next six months. (Photo: Facebook) Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister and International Trade and Industry Minister, Sim Tze Tzin, earlier said the country would not increase its reliance on foreign workers, despite demands from businesses.

Malaysia currently caps foreign workers at 13% of the total workforce, having reduced its dependence on foreign labor from 15% and aims to further reduce it to 10% by 2030. Ramanan clarified that the claimed 200,000 figure does not reflect the country's actual needs and that he had discussed the matter with colleagues from Bangladesh, finding it to be a misunderstanding.

The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives from Bangladesh, Mir Shahe Alam, had previously told reporters that Malaysia planned to take around 200,000 Bangladeshi workers in the coming six months, speaking to reporters after meeting with Malaysia's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Shuhada Othman.

Earlier today, Government Spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil also denied the claim, stating the Deputy Minister's statement does not represent Bangladesh's official position. Ramanan added that decisions on hiring foreign workers are made based on industry and sector needs, in line with targets set by the Ministry of Finance through Malaysia's Economic Plan 13 (RMK-13).

The government is committed to reducing reliance on foreign workers, and its decision-making process follows the guidelines set by the Finance Ministry under RMK-13. Ramanan emphasized that only when there is a genuine need would the issue be discussed in cabinet, and the exact number of foreign workers required cannot be determined generically. Instead, each sector's supervisory agency (AKS) must assess the need before any decision is made.