Ibrahim Ali wants ministry to reconsider Indian workers approval

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — The Home Ministry has been urged to review the decision to bring in 45,000 workers from India to solve the shortage of workers faced by local Indian business operators.

Lawmakers generally felt that the government should study whether there was a real, urgent need for such a big number of workers from India.

Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Independent-Pasir Mas) said such a big number was a security concern as there were already too many foreign workers in this country.

He was interjecting the winding-up of the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address for the Home Ministry by its deputy minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S.Subramaniam had early this month said that the government had approved the hiring of 45,000 workers from India to solve the shortage of workers faced by local Indian business operators.

Ibrahim’s views were shared by Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading). “I’m actually worried that there might be another agenda,” he said.

Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) said the 24-hour operations of several restaurants required the recruitment of many foreign workers.

Therefore, he said, the authorities should consider whether it was appropriate for eateries be allowed to operate round the clock while the government was trying to reduce dependence on foreign labour.

“I urge the government to review the 24-hour operations of restaurants as bringing in more foregn workers to meet the need in this sector will have social and health implications on the Malaysian public,” he said.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting will continue today. — Bernama