Why is Malaysia rejecting foreign workers past the May 31 deadline?

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Malaysia Confirms No Extension for Foreign Worker Entry Deadline

The Malaysian government will not extend the May 31 deadline for the entry of foreign workers into the country, deeming the provided timeframe adequate for managing all necessary procedures. This decision comes as a significant surge in worker arrivals was observed in the final days leading up to the deadline, with many having secured visa approvals months prior.
Adequate Time Allocated for Procedures

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated that the period set by Malaysia was reasonable for completing all foreign worker procedures. The May 13 date, when the deadline was set, was chosen to accommodate essential steps such as quota approval, health screenings, visa acquisition, and flight ticket arrangements, ensuring that all processes could be managed within the given window.
Observed Surge in Late Arrivals

A notable increase of over 20,000 foreign workers entered Malaysia between May 28 and May 31. Investigations revealed that the visa approvals for many of these workers were obtained as early as November of the previous year. This pattern raises questions about why these workers and their employers waited until the final days of the deadline to initiate their entry into the country.
Projected Workforce Exceeds Targets

With the recent trend of worker arrivals, Malaysia is now projected to have more than 2.6 million foreign workers by December of this year. This figure surpasses the Economic Planning Unit's target of 2.5 million foreign workers, indicating that the country's manpower needs, particularly in the manufacturing, construction, and service sectors, have been met. Processing for the plantation and agriculture sectors will continue based on existing quota approvals.
Consideration for Missed Deadlines

Despite the firm deadline, there has been a request from Bangladesh to allow nearly 17,000 Bangladeshi workers, who possessed approved visas but could not meet the May 31 entry deadline, to enter Malaysia. The government's stance on this specific request has not been detailed beyond the general confirmation of the deadline's finality.

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Why is Malaysia rejecting foreign workers past the May 31 deadline?

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