MALAYSIA has not received any official confirmation from Bangladesh that it plans to recruit 200,000 workers from the country, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said today.
Fahmi said he had contacted Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan following the claim and was informed that it was made by a junior Bangladesh minister and did not represent the country's official position.
"I have been in contact with the Human Resources Minister regarding the matter and he informed me that it was not an official statement from the Bangladesh government.
"It was made by an individual, I understand a junior minister, so it does not represent an official decision by the Bangladesh government," he told a post-Cabinet meeting press conference today.
Bangladesh Deputy Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam was reported yesterday as saying that Malaysia planned to recruit about 200,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next six months.
He reportedly said the workers would be recruited through companies approved by Malaysian authorities, with recruitment expected to begin in stages at the end of September and be completed within six months.
The reported figure comes amid renewed calls from Bangladesh for Malaysia to reopen its labour market to its workers.
In June, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to consider reopening Malaysia's labour market to Bangladeshi workers.
Malaysia restricted the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in 2024 following reports of exploitation, including debt bondage, forced labour and workers arriving in the country without the jobs they had been promised.
Fahmi's clarification means the reported 200,000-worker recruitment plan should not be treated as an agreed or officially announced Malaysian-Bangladesh labour arrangement.
Separately, the government has summoned the production team behind the controversial drama Madu atau Racun and streaming platform iQIYI for a meeting today to seek a comprehensive explanation over its content.
Fahmi said the meeting would be held by the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF) and the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), following widespread discussion of the issue on social media and comments by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.
"Although drama and film content broadcast through over-the-top (OTT) platforms is currently not directly subject to FINAS licensing supervision, the ministry has instructed CMCF, which is under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), together with FINAS to meet with the production team and iQIYI this afternoon to obtain a comprehensive explanation regarding the content in question.
"JAKIM will also take part in the meeting," he said..
Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) had objected to the airing of Madu atau Racun, saying it had caused concern and controversy among members of the public. Zulkifli said the department regretted the inclusion of elements that touched on religious sensitivities and local cultural norms, whether explicitly or implicitly.
Fahmi, who is also Unity Government spokesman, said FINAS had jurisdiction over activities related to filmmaking and cinemas, while MCMC regulated matters involving television broadcasting and communications.
However, he said OTT streaming platforms were not currently fully subject to the licensing framework imposed on conventional broadcasting.
"Nevertheless, the government wishes to emphasise that we will not compromise with any drama or film production party that touches on issues of religious and racial sensitivity in their works. Freedom of artistic expression must be accompanied and balanced by the responsibility to respect religious values, social harmony and racial and cultural sensitivities, which form the core and foundation of our national unity," he said.
Fahmi added the government would not hesitate to take appropriate action if assessments and investigations found any breach of applicable guidelines, regulations or requirements. - - September 2, 2026
