‘ Proper foreign labour policy needed’

> Move will address ‘questionable’ procedures for entry of workers

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday said the government is eyeing to put in place a proper policy for foreign workers.

The premier said this would help address questionable ways on how they are being brought into the country.

“We’re studying to try and find a proper policy for foreign workers ... there are many wrong things being done (with regard to their recruitment),” he said at the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday.

Mahathir cited the example of a company being given the right to bring in foreign workers without undergoing a proper tender process, and making a lot of money along the way.

He also said Malaysia was expecting a lot of visitors, “some legal, some illegal, some temporary and some permanent”.

“All these will have to be looked into,” he said.

Malaysia is also expected to welcome a huge number of tourists, for example, from China, and the matter of issuing visas to them would need to be resolved as well, he added.

He said it was not always easy to ensure that people come to Malaysia legally, as we have five close neighbours and “very porous borders”.

“All these things are being studied and we would welcome any suggestion from the private sector.”

Separately, Mahathir said the government welcomes foreigners with certain skills such as in new technology and information technology to come and live here.

“If the foreigners come with certain skills that we want, we would invite them to stay in this country and even become citizens if they want.

“We would like to have more people with the brains to come and live in Malaysia and contribute towards industrialisation programmes.” – Bernama