Clamp on Illegal Migrant Workers Lifted

Malaysia has reversed a draconian crackdown against illegal migrant workers after key industries suffered huge labour shortages and ground to a near standstill.

Local media reported yesterday that foreigners who enter Malaysia on tourist visas will now be allowed to work, provided they are not among the 50,0000 people detained or deported in the last three months for working illegally.

The home minister, Azmi Khalid, all but admitted that the policy U-turn was in response to the government's failure to fill the 600,000 jobs previously filled by foreigners who flock to Malaysia for work which locals shun.

"We will decide when to stop this," the Star newspaper quoted him as saying. "After that, the workers will have to apply through the normal channels."

Indonesians are expected to be the primary beneficiaries, with Bangladeshis, Burmese and Filipinos also likely to take advantage of the offer.

Mr Azmi blamed the labour shortage, which particularly affected the construction, agriculture and service sectors, on an Indonesian consortium handling migrant worker applications. He reportedly said that it imposed prohibitively high fees.

But Wayhu Susilo, of the Indonesian organisation Migrant Care, told the Guardian that Kuala Lumpur only had itself to blame.

"The Malaysian government's oppressive measures only punished themselves," he said. "The mass deportations led to them suffering because they couldn't get themselves organised."