KUALA LUMPUR – The government will continue to assess the need for foreign workers while ensuring employment opportunities are prioritised for Malaysians, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said sectors facing labour shortages still require foreign workers, but employers should first utilise the existing legal migrant workforce already in the country before seeking approval for new recruitment.
“We do need foreign workers, that's a fact. But there are already many in Malaysia, and several sectors still require them,” he told the Dewan Rakyat on July 14, as reported by Bernama.
Anwar said the government is aware that foreign worker recruitment syndicates have operated for decades and have profited from the system, making reform necessary.
“We know that foreign worker syndicates have long been a burden and a source of illicit profit. This issue must be addressed because several sectors genuinely need foreign workers,” he said.
Responding to a supplementary question from Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong on labour shortages affecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and employment opportunities for young Malaysians, Anwar said any decision to increase foreign worker intake would be jointly assessed by the Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Home Affairs, taking security considerations into account.
He also stressed that enforcement against foreign workers who violate Malaysian laws would continue regardless of nationality or ethnicity, including Rohingya migrants.
“If the rules are followed, whether by local or foreign workers, we will provide protection. But if the law is violated, enforcement agencies must take firm action,” he said.
On employment opportunities for young Malaysians, Anwar said the government is tightening approval requirements for foreign professionals to prevent employers from misusing the system.
He said some companies had obtained approval to recruit experts in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) but later employed workers in roles unrelated to the approved expertise.
“If we need expert skills in digital technology or AI, we can bring them in. But do not use that as an excuse to bring in workers who do not possess the expertise we are trying to develop,” he added.
