{
  "id": 5060490,
  "title": "Putrajaya dismisses claim Malaysia will hire 200,000 Bangladeshi workers in 6 months",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/putrajaya-dismisses-claim-malaysia-will-hire-200-000-bangladeshi-5060490",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T08:23:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/02/putrajaya-dismisses-claim-malaysia-will-hire-200-000-bangladeshi-workers-in-6-months"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Putrajaya has rejected the claim that Malaysia will hire approximately 200,000 Bangladeshi workers within the next six months. Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil, who also serves as communications minister, stated that the assertion was made by a junior minister and does not reflect the Bangladeshi government's official stance. Fahmi clarified this during a press conference following a Cabinet meeting today.\n\nYesterday, Mir Shahe Alam, the Bangladeshi junior minister responsible for local government, rural development, and cooperatives, had asserted that the recruitment process would commence in phases starting from late September. This announcement came after a meeting between Malaysia's high commissioner to Bangladesh, Shuhada Othman, and Abdul Moyeen Khan, the Bangladeshi minister mentioned earlier.\n\nSeparately, Fahmi addressed the concerns raised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding the safety of Myanmar for refugees wishing to return. According to Fahmi, the 1,476 refugees in the initial phase of the voluntary repatriation program had signed documents indicating their voluntary decision to return to Myanmar, as confirmed by Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan. Fahmi noted that out of the over 10,000 Myanmar refugees detained by the immigration department, 5,000 were assessed by the home ministry before being forwarded to the Myanmar embassy. From that initial list, Myanmar authorized the return of 1,476 refugees.\n\nFahmi emphasized that the safety of the refugees in Myanmar is assured, stating that nothing will happen to them and they will be secure in Myanmar, as confirmed by Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan. The UNHCR expressed its ongoing concern, citing the persistent armed conflict and violence in Myanmar, which renders any voluntary return of refugees unsafe, dignified, and sustainable.",
  "summary": "Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil says a Bangladeshi junior minister’s statement does not represent Dhaka’s official position.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}