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Malaysia – Number of foreign workers must be reduced, says Human Resources Minister

24 November 2014

The number of foreign workers in Malaysia has to be reduced, according to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot, reports The Borneo Post

Quoting figures from Malaysia’s Statistics Department, he said that 6.7 million of the more than 30 million people residing in Malaysia are foreigners, comprising both permit holders and illegal workers.

Speaking at an event in east Malaysia, he warned that the number of foreigners in the country was very high and could jeopardise the safety of the country if it continued to rise: “How long do we have to continue to depend on foreign labour, both legal or without working documents? We cannot allow the number to continue to rise. As the minister in charge, it is my responsibility to make sure the country reduces its dependency on foreign labour.”

Mr Riot called on more or the regions youths to enrol in technical schools and skills training colleges to enhance their employability, warning they could be left behind by the time the nation achieved developed status in 2020.

He said since a developed nation required 55% of its workforce to be skilled labour, the regions youths must be more aggressive in seizing the opportunities available so they could be part of the skilled labour force, which potentially offers a higher income.