Malaysia Threatens To Banish Indonesian Workers After Riots
Mahathir says Indonesian workers causing trouble
By IslamOnline’s Correspondent in South Asia, Kazi Mahmood
KUALA LUMPUR, January 19 (IslamOnline) - The Malaysian government has decided to tighten the conditions for the recruitment of foreign workers in the wake of Thursday's incident in which Indonesian workers rioted at their workplace.
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on Thursday January 17, 2002 the areas to be affected by the possible ban included the documentation process of the workers and the qualification and health of the workers.
"We definitely want to impose more stringent conditions when we take in foreign workers in future," he told a press conference.
Abdullah, who is also the Home Minister, said Malaysia did not want to recruit foreign workers with health and other problems.
He said strong action would be taken against the workers who rioted on Thursday to serve as a message to other workers intending to riot.
In the incident, about 500 Indonesian workers of a textile factory in Nilai rioted; attacking policemen and destroying vehicles after 16 of their colleagues were detained by police when they were tested positive for drugs.
Malaysia also warned that Indonesians may be the last choice for the country in its search for foreign workers in the future. This would deal a heavy blow to Indonesia which depends on the money influx from workers employed abroad.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Friday January 18, 2002 the measure would have to be adopted because of a series of troubles caused by Indonesian workers, which has created problems for Malaysia.
"Indonesian workers have been giving us many problems, sneaking into the country, when caught they become violent, we cannot accept such behavior," he told reporters.
Mahathir was commenting on the riot involving some 500 Indonesian workers during a police anti-drug operation at Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, on Thursday.
Mahathir said in future, the government would give priority to non-Indonesian foreign workers who had a record of not creating too many problems for Malaysia.
He said Malaysia was unhappy over the behavior of foreign workers who created problems to this country and such workers would be speedily deported to their country of origin.
Malaysia has already limited the employment of Bangladeshi workers since last year. Many of them have been found involved in robberies and their marrying local Malaysian girls has not pleased the authorities.
Mahathir said the riot had so far not been brought to the attention of the Indonesian Government but this would be done in due course.
The foreign workers were guests in this country and as such they should respect this country's laws, the Prime Minister said, adding that it was the government's aspiration to reduce the number of foreign workers but this could not be done in view of the shortage of local workers in certain sectors.
Badawi said the action of the Indonesian workers who challenged the police and broke the law should not be forgiven.
"Stern action will be taken," said Badawi.
He said the majority of the people in the country would be unhappy with the workers' action to go on a rampage and take the law into their own hands.
