Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar rebuked Indonesia's national assembly chairman Amien Rais Thursday for criticising of Malaysia's labour laws, despite efforts by the Indonesian government to calm the row.

Syed Hamid said Rais should take responsibility for high unemployment levels in Indonesia rather than attacking Malaysia for caning Indonesian illegal immigrants who come to the country looking for work.

Rais played an instrumental role in pushing for economic and political reforms in Indonesia and "a lot of people were thrown out of their jobs, and a lot of companies were closed," the foreign minister said.

"Rather than giving us a warning or distorting the truth of what truly happened, he should bear responsibility for what is happening to his people."