DPM: Not true 1.5 million Bangladeshis coming here

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that 1.5 million Bangladesh nationals have registered with their government to work abroad, but not all of them were headed to Malaysia.

He said the number of them coming to Malaysia depended on the needs of local companies.

“There is no single company appointed to bring them in. Potential employers can apply online to secure the workers directly without having to go through agents or companies,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.

Ahmad Zahid was replying to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), who had wanted to know details of the company allegedly bringing in 1.5 million Bangladesh workers.

On another matter, Ahmad Zahid dismissed a recent Al Jazeera documentary on the migrant labour industry in Malaysia that alleged millions of foreigners were working without permits in the country.

The documentary featured several agents, who claimed that they regularly paid off Home Ministry and Immigration officials when they bring in migrant workers.

Ahmad Zahid said an investigation showed that the recording was made six months ago and the documentary was broadcast as a series.

The problem was resolved after the government introduced the online application for the registration of foreign workers, he said in reply to a supplementary question from Wan Azizah. – Bernama