KUALA LUMPUR: Not all of the 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers set to leave their countries to work overseas are headed for Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said 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.

"There is no company or agent appointed to bring any Bangladeshi to the country," he said.

Zahid added that close monitoring through biometric and national security systems of arriving foreign workers is in force at every entry point to the country.

Zahid said this in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) on the status of the E-card programme; and a request for detailed information on the companies appointed to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers into the country, including information on company heads and shareholders.

Keywords: Bangladeshi workers, Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Home Minister, overseas, Malaysia, agent, monitoring, biometric system, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, E-card programme

Resource :New Straits Times