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This is a sad news for indians. here is the news
Tuesday January 8, 09:58 PM
By Jalil Hamid
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia has suspended the recruitment of workers from India and Bangladesh, the government said on Tuesday, in a move one official said could be linked to a recent uproar about Malaysia's treatment of its ethnic Indians.
The ban, which took effect on Dec. 31, 2007, could further strain India-Malaysian relations after some Indian politicians sympathised with ethnic Indians who complained they had been marginalised by the Malay-majority government.
"The cabinet decided about two weeks ago to freeze the intake of workers from India and Bangladesh," a Home Ministry official told Reuters.
"Those already in the country will not have their work permits renewed," he said. "The ruling applies to all workers, including expatriates."
The news came as Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony ended a three-day visit aimed at boosting defence ties.
Other ministry officials confirmed the ban but gave no reason. The government had said in October it was trying to determine exactly how many foreign workers the country needed.
"Frankly speaking, we have got enough workers," Works Minister S. Samy Vellu, the only ethnic Indian minister in the cabinet, said on the sidelines of a conference in New Delhi.
"The government decided it is enough and we don't want to recruit any more because we have enough workers. Is it wrong?
Malaysia also decided on Tuesday to ban foreign workers at all major airports in the country, state news agency Bernama reported, citing Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Najib said the ban must be complied with as soon as possible, although the government realised that companies carrying out various works at the airports had to make some adjustments.
"We will issue rulings to Malaysia Airports Bhd to ensure that the workers are Malaysian citizens," he said.
Latest figures up to last Sept. 30 show Malaysia was home to about 2.2 million legal foreign workers, with 35 percent employed in factories and 17 percent in plantations.
Indonesians made up the highest number at around 60 percent, followed by Nepalese (11 percent), Bangladeshis (9 percent) and Indians (7 percent), government data showed.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was due to visit Malaysia on Friday, seeking to smooth relations between the two neighbours following disputes over cultural theft and ill-treatment of migrant workers.
"DRASTIC STEP"
Indians are mainly employed in restaurants and in the construction, information technology and financial services industries.
The Indian government said it had no immediate comment but some Indian professionals said they were upset.
"They (the Malaysian government) should not take such drastic steps. They should recognise the contribution made by Indian workers and professionals in the economic growth of the country," said one Indian professional who declined to be named.
A Malaysian inter-faith group criticised the ban, which it said would hit the intake of foreign priests and temple workers.
"This sudden decision without any dialogue or consultation with us is unprecedented," said A. Vaithilingam, president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.
Relations between India and Malaysia have been hurt by recent allegations of discrimination against the ethnic Indian community in this Southeast Asian country.
Ethnic Indians held a mass anti-government protest in November, alleging that the authorities had sidelined the community under an affirmative action policy that favours the majority ethnic Malays.
Some Indian politicians, including Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, voiced concern for the ethnic Indians.
Around 7 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people are ethnic Indians, whose forefathers were brought over as labourers by British colonial rulers.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/080108/137/6pcnd.html
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