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Illegal Bangladeshi workers irk Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has accused Bangladeshis of sneaking into the country as students to work illegally, saying their circumstances are “fishy” and they cause social problems, a report said on Monday.

Home Affairs Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said Bangladesh workers were still spotted on construction sites and in restaurants despite a ban on their employment two years ago over concerns they were causing “social problems”. “They have blue eyes and look like Hindi film actors and they create social problems here,” Radzi was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times of the reason for the ban. He did not elaborate.

Hindi films are popular amongst Malaysian women, as are handsome male Bollywood film stars.

He said Bangladeshis of between 25 and 30 years of age were entering Malaysia as students to learn English but were working instead. “This is really fishy. The age-bracket is suitable for employment, Bangladesh is an English-speaking country and it makes little sense for them to study English here,” said the minister, citing examples of colleges where the foreign students learning English are mainly from Bangladesh.

“I can go on and on. I assure you, there are thousands of them,” he said. The minister’s comments on Monday earned the ire of migrant workers’ rights group Tenaganita, which accused Radzi of racism and treating workers as less than human. AFP

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