Malaysia ‘not concerned’ by ban on workers from Myanmar

Besides Myanmar, foreign workers from 14 other countries come to Malaysia, Ismail said after closing a Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) forum and exhibition held this week in Kuala Lumpur.
He also encouraged locals to take the opportunity to fill the vacancies left by Myanmar workers.
Earlier, he urged Malaysians to utilise the funding provided by the government to attend professional courses to enhance their skills. Manpower with high-technology skills helps to increase productivity and also attracts foreign investment, he said.
Meanwhile, the secretary-general of the Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Malaysia, Low Kian Chuan, is of the view that the impact of the ban on Myanmar workers is not profound.
Based on his understanding, most Myanmar workers are in the food and beverage industry, followed by the manufacturing and construction sectors. Foreign workers mainly come from Indonesia, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Nevertheless, our Home Ministry has various restrictions on hiring foreign workers [with the result that] many employers do not manage to hire them. Whether [or not] the Myanmar government banned its workers from coming to Malaysia, the shortage of foreign workers would still exist in Malaysia.”
However, Low said the worsening of ties between the governments of Malaysia and Myanmar was not good for the business and industry sectors. He hopes the two governments will amicably solve the deadlock.
“The Myanmar government has announced banning its workers from coming to Malaysia. If the Malaysian government uses a similar method to [take] revenge against Myanmar, this does not benefit the people of the two countries.”
Low urged the two governments to reach consensus through a diplomatic channel.
The HRDF forum and exhibition was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday. The organisers invited local and foreign experts to speak and share their experiences at the forum. 
Those who attended the event included HRDF chairman Abdul Razak Abdul and the fund’s chief |executive officer, Vignaesvaran Jeyandran.