MALACCA, Malaysia: The Human Resources Ministry will work closely with the Home Ministry to ensure that the estimated 70,000 Bangladeshi workers expected to enter the country are only employed in sectors they are allowed to work in.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the authorities would ensure that the foreigners do not work in sectors where a freeze has been imposed by the Government.

"There are two sectors in which we have not frozen (the intake of migrant labour), namely the plantation and construction sectors.

"This is because there is still a great demand for foreign workers in these sectors as we are unable to find locals to fill them," Subramaniam told reporters at the Marsimaham Hindu festival in Krubong yesterday after fulfilling a vow he had made.

He was commenting on the recent statement by the Bangladesh High Commission labour counsellor Talat Mahmud Khan that some 70,000 workers were expected here soon to work in the plantation, construction and service sectors.

Subramaniam said his ministry would liaise with the Home Ministry and the high commission to ensure that the workers only came in for sectors where there was no freeze.

He added that Bangladeshis were permitted to work as cleaners as the employment of foreigners in the service sector had yet to be frozen. -The Star/ANN