A reported statement quoting the Bangladesh government that Malaysia plans to recruit 200,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next six months does not represent that country’s official position, said government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil today.
Speaking at a post-cabinet press conference in Putrajaya, the communications minister said Human Resources Minister R Ramanan informed him that the statement was made by a junior minister and was not an official position of Bangladesh.
“I contacted the human resources minister (Ramanan) on the matter, and he said that it is not an official statement by the Bangladesh government.
“I was made to understand the statement was issued by a junior minister, and so it does not represent the Bangladesh government’s official stand,” he said.
Fahmi was responding to media reports quoting Bangladesh’s Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives Junior Minister Mir Shahe Alam as saying Malaysia would recruit about 200,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next six months.
Shahe Alam reportedly said the workers would be recruited in phases through companies approved by Malaysian authorities, with the process beginning at the end of September and completed within six months.
“They (Malaysia) will hire about 200,000 workers. Of them, they will hire 10,000 workers free of cost,” he was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.
Malaysian media, citing the report, stated that Shahe Alam made the announcement after a meeting in Dhaka between Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Shuhada Othman and Bangladesh Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan.
Repatriation safety assurance
On a separate matter, Fahmi said the Malaysian Foreign Ministry received assurances from Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry that 1,476 refugees due to be voluntarily repatriated would be safe from persecution.
He said Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan informed the cabinet that the 1,476 refugees had signed documents agreeing to voluntary repatriation.
Of more than 10,000 refugees held in immigration detention, about 5,000 had been screened by the Home Ministry and their names submitted to the Myanmar embassy, he said.
“From the list, 1,476 names were agreed by Myanmar for them to be accepted, and this will happen at the end of September.
“For now, Wisma Putra said that the agreement with Myanmar is that the 1,476 refugees will be safe,” Fahmi said.
Yesterday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees warned Malaysia against returning refugees to Myanmar while conflict and violence continue, saying conditions were not yet safe for voluntary repatriation.
The agency, which is not involved in Malaysia’s planned repatriation programme, said any return must be voluntary, informed, and carried out with safety and dignity. - Mkini
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