Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today explained that 1.5 million Bangladeshi nationals had registered with their government to work abroad and that not all of them were headed to Malaysia.

Zahid said the number of Bangladeshi nationals coming to Malaysia depended on the needs of the local companies.

“There is no one company appointed to bring them in. Potential employers can apply online to secure the workers directly without having to go through agents or companies,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.

Zahid was replying to a question from Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) who had wanted to know the details of the company bringing in what she claimed to be 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers.

On another matter, Ahmad Zahid dismissed as untrue, a recent foreign media documentary that alleged that millions of foreigners were working without work permits in the country.

He said an investigation showed that the recording was made six months ago and the documentary was broadcast as a series.

He said the problem was resolved after the government introduced the online application for the registration of foreign workers, he said in reply to a supplementary question from Wan Azizah on the foreign media report.

--Bernama