KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — Putrajaya’s temporary freeze on foreign worker intakes will not kill off its agreement to recruit at least some of the 1.5 million workers offered by Bangladesh, an official in Dhaka has asserted.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Bangladesh Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry acting secretary Begum Shamsun Nahar also described the move as an “eyewash”.

“The Malaysian government has made the announcement to calm local pressure groups who are opposed to recruiting foreign workers,” she was quoted as saying by the Bangladeshi newspaper.

She then expressed belief that Putrajaya will honour the memorandum of understanding it signed with Dhaka on Thursday, just a day before it announced the moratorium, to recruit some of the 1.5 million labourers available.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday announced that Putrajaya was suspending the intake of all foreign workers with immediate effect and urging employers to hire locals instead.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak previously said Putrajaya will review the decision to recruit at least some of the 1.5 million Bangladeshis following public outcry over the proposal.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also home minister, added that the moratorium will remain in effect until Putrajaya is convinced about the actual manpower requirements in the various sectors locally.

The DPM’s announcement came after Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot impressed upon Malaysians the need to bring in foreign workers to address what he said were critical labour shortages in the manufacturing and plantation sectors.

Putrajaya is facing resistance and criticism from several civil and trade groups over its plan to bring in the foreign workers.

Workers groups such as the Malaysian Trade Unions Congress (MTUC) said locals should be given priority for jobs. It acknowledged Malaysians’ tendency to reject 3D jobs, but argued that it was only because of the low pay.