KL to cull foreign workers in fishing

KL to cull foreign workers in fishing

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Intensifying Malaysia's crackdown on foreign workers, the Terengganu State Fisheries Department said yesterday it will reduce the number of foreigners working on deep-sea fishing boats.

Director Abdul Rahman Mohamad said the majority of the 2,300 foreigners employed on the state's fishing boats were Thai nationals. He did not say how many workers would be dismissed.

One measure will be to "tighten the conditions for the issuance of permits to recruit (foreigners)," Abdul Rahman was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

Stung by the regional economic downturn, Malaysia said recently that an estimated 1 million illegal foreign workers would be deported to provide jobs for locals. Most of the workers are Indonesians employed at construction sites and in the service sector.