Staff Reporter :
Malaysia refuses to accept an application from Bangladesh to take about 17,000 Bangladeshi workers who had missed the deadline of May31 to enter the country.
The South-East Asian country decided not to extend the deadline for Bangladeshi workers with approved work visas who missed the May 31 cut-off date to reach that country.
“Employers had been given sufficient time to bring in their foreign workers. For us, the May 31 deadline was reasonable. We do not intend to extend it for now,” Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Tuesday said journalists during a visit to Seberang Perai Prison in Nibong Tebal, Penang. At the end of last month, recruiting agencies and employers were rushing in Bangladeshi workers to meet the May 31 deadline set by the government in January for them to reach Malaysia.
Free Malaysia Today reports, Bangladesh’s State Minister for Expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment, Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury, was quoted as calling for a special one-off extension period to be provided for almost 17,000 Bangladeshi workers who had missed the deadline.
“In, January, when the date was set, we took into account all the processes, starting from the approvals for the quotas (to) arranging health checks, visas and flight tickets,” the home minister said.
“More than 20,000 foreign workers entered (the country) from May 28 to 31. Upon checking, we found that their visas were approved last November.”
“If employers truly need foreign workers, if their visas were approved and they had tickets, then (they should have) come. Why wait until May 31,” the minister questioned.
While Saifuddin said no new approvals would be granted to employers to bring in foreign workers, his ministry would consider each request based on its merits.
Free Malaysia Today report said Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury said he would meet with Malaysian high commissioner to Bangladesh Haznah Md Hashim on Wednesday to discuss his proposal for taking the workers who missed the deadline.