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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]No Directive To Freeze Recruitment Of Workers From India[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]PUTRAJAYA, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- The government has never issued a directive to freeze the recruitment of workers, especially professionals, from India, said Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]He said confusion might have arisen following the government's decision in October to temporarily stop bringing in Bangladeshi workers due to cases of cheating and exploitation by recruiting agents.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]He also explained the matter at the Cabinet meeting here Wednesday.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"Let me state categorically here that the ministry has never come out with any ruling or circular to say that we have stopped taking in foreign workers from India, what more the professionals.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"There is a report from Reuters...I don't who the source is that has made such a claim about the ministry. This is disturbing to us, especially to Datuk Seri Samy Vellu who happens to be in India now, so he has been `ambushed' by hundreds of reporters there asking for his comments," Radzi told reporters after the Cabinet meeting here today.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]He was asked to comment on the Reuters report saying that Malaysia has frozen the recruitment of workers from India, linking it to the the Malaysian government's treatment of Indians in the country.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Asked whether India had protested against the purported move following the report, he said: "We don't know yet."[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Radzi said at the moment the government was still honouring the memorandum of understanding signed between Malaysia and India.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]However, he added, the government was reviewing the system of recruiting foreign workers involving 10 source countries, including India, to prevent recurrence of problems faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"So now we are more stringent. We want employers who intend to bring in foreign workers to get the approval of the Human Resource Ministry after they have proven that they can't get locals to fill the posts."[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Radzi said an action committee set up by the ministry would be approving the number of foreign workers that could be brought into the country, and the number might be reduced.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]On reports claiming the government did not allow people to bring in temple priests, sculptors and musicians from India, Radzi refuted the claims but admitted that the conditions would be tightened and applicable to all religions including Islam.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]He said currently there were 5,468 of them working in this country.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"Our policy is that we want locals to become priests, sculptors and musicians. We have given enough time for them (foreigners) to work here.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"Five years is normal, but some of them have been working here for 10 years and we will not extend their stay. We feel that locals should be able to take over the job," he added.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]-- BERNAMA[/FONT]