The fate of the government's agreement with Malaysia on sending 1.5 million workers to that country is uncertain as Kuala Lumpur continues to issue contradictory statements.
Yesterday, just five days after Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi announced a freeze on hiring foreign workers, the Malaysian Human Resource Minister Richard Riot said the decision would not affect the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Bangladesh.
Malaysian newspaper The Star quoted the minister as saying: “The agreement will remain valid when the freeze is lifted. We have signed agreements for intake of foreign labour not only with Bangladesh but with seven countries. The freeze does not make the agreements null and void.”
Riot made a similar statement on February 19, just after Hamidi's announcement, which came a day after the signing of the MoU in Dhaka.
Harun Al Rashid, a regional coordinator for CARAM Asia, a Malaysian organisation working on migrant worker issues, told the Dhaka Tribune that the two ministers had issued contradictory statements.
“We don't know which decision will be applicable for Bangladesh,” he said.
“Now we are waiting to see the decision of the Bangladesh government. This government should not make any statement which might harm the prospects of aspiring workers in any way,” he added.
The Malaysian government has not officially informed Bangladesh about the suspension order on recruiting foreign workers, not even the High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.
Bangladeshi authorities came to learn about the Malaysian freeze through the media.
However, a senior Expatriate Ministry official requesting anonymity said Malaysia would take Bangladeshi workers in the near future.
“The Malaysian government has taken this decision as they want employers there to register undocumented workers. This is a source of tax for them. Malaysian employers often do not want their workers to get documented.
“So once the existing workers become documented, the country might resume taking new workers,” the official said.
A source at the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur also said the agreement was in a strong position and would soon be implemented.
Dr CR Abrar, executive director of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) said if Malaysia takes new Bangladeshi workers, the government should take a strong stance against the syndication process.
“Malaysia needs foreign workers to continue their development process,” he said.
“Even if they do not take new workers, our government should take initiatives to ensure the rights of the existing Bangladeshi workers, since under the MoU Malaysia has marked us as a source country for the first time,” he added.
“Bangladesh should not act weak with the Malaysian government, since many of our workers become undocumented because of their faulty and dishonest agencies,” Abrar said.
