1.5m Bangladeshis going to Malaysia?

A Malaysian minister has discarded reports that companies of the Southeast Asian nation are likely to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers, according to New Straits Times.

In fact, deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was quoted to have said that not all of the 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers set to leave their country to work overseas are headed for Malaysia.

Ahmad Zahid, also Malaysia’s home minister, further clarified that the figure of 1.5 million is a reference previously made by him to the number of Bangladeshis who had registered with their government to work overseas, not only in Malaysia.

"I would like to stress that the intake of Bangladeshis to Malaysia will depend on the need of employers when applications are made,” he was said to have stated.

On reports that Malaysian companies were assigned to bring 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers, he said: "There is no company or agent appointed to bring any Bangladeshi to the country."

The New Straits Times report said the minister gave the clarification in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) on the status of the e-card programme and reports on hiring Bangladeshi workers.