Putrajaya (The Star/ANN) - Workers from Bangladesh, banned from entering since 2007, are expected to be making their way to Malaysia as early as January next year.
The Special Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers and Illegal Immigrants said the applications to recruit them were expected to be opened on December 1.
"The recruitment will be implemented in stages starting with the plantation sector,¿ the committee said in a statement by the home ministry's foreign workers management division.
"It will begin once all procedures in both countries including the recruiting system are ready,¿ it added.
The committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, met in Putrajaya yesterday and discussed the proposed government to government mechanism in recruiting Bangladeshi workers.
The statement added that the Bangladeshi government was positive about sending its people to work in Malaysia.
"The government to government mechanism is different from any previous methods and the Bangladeshi government has also agreed to it in principle. This mechanism will not involve the element of middleman to ensure the smoothness of the recruitment process,¿ the statement said.
"Enforcement and intelligence agencies will also be roped in to ensure public order and security are maintained while at the same time curb human smuggling and transborder crimes.¿
It also added that to avoid the recurrence of abuse against Bangladeshi workers, every employer would be subjected to strict requirements including providing accommodation for the workers.
On Oct 3, 2007, the Cabinet froze the intake of Bangladesh workers indefinitely due to the numerous problems created by employers and agents.
Separately, Muhyiddin said the public service could be improved by offering services based on the requests and demands of customers who are the stakeholders.
He said this in his speech during the launch of the 17th Public Service Conference at the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) here yesterday.
At another function in Putrajaya, Muhyiddin presented letters of appointment to seven English language experts.
