M'SIA FREEZES INTAKE OF FOREIGN LABOUR IN TWO SECTORS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government has frozen the
intake of foreign labour in the manufacturing and service sectors, the Lower
House of Parliament was told Thursday.

However, exceptions were given to cooks and cleaners, said Home Minister
Syed Hamid Albar.

Meanwhile, out-sourcing had been prohibited because it was troublesome
and gave bad implications to the government, he said in reply to M.
Kulasegaran, an opposition MP.

"From time to time, we will study the best way and method to ensure these
people really have jobs and are needed in line our recruitment policy," he said.

Kulasegaran had claimed that out-sourcing had been abused by the
government and many foreigners who should not have entered the country had been
brought in through out-sourcing.

Responding to this allegation, Syed Hamid said: "If there are proofs, tell
us and we will take action and round-the-clock monitoring will be effected."

On levies imposed on foreign workers, he said the the lowest for the
agriculture sector which was RM360, followed by the plantation sector RM540.

He said the rates were decided by the Cabinet Committee on Foreign
Immigrants after considering the difficulty faced by employers in obtaining
local workers due to the "3D" factor -- dirty, difficult, dangerous.

Also taken into account were the government's policy to reduce the
dependency on foreign labour and move towards mechanisation, he said.

-- BERNAMA