Malaysia Freezes Recruitment of Foreign Workers After Protests
- Country seeking to reduce reliance on cheaper foreign labor
- Plan to bring in more Bangladeshi workers sparks criticism
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Malaysia said it will suspend the recruitment of foreign workers while it assesses gaps in the labor force, a second flip-flop on employment policies this month after objections over the plans.
The freeze will also allow the government to review a levy system for overseas workers in Malaysia, state news agency Bernama reported Friday, citing Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi. The decision came after companies and some non-government organizations protested a reported intake of 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh over the next three years, which the government earlier said was to meet the demands of industries.