MEF executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said this was seen as a positive move as it would fulfil the needs of certain sectors, especially the labour, agriculture and farming sectors, which were not popular among local residents.

“The decision will not affect employment opportunities for the local population as the refugees will only be involved in specific areas, especially in the dirty, difficult and dangerous areas — better known as 3D jobs.

“Most of these positions are being filled by the foreigners and currently we have a shortage of migrant workers. So, indirectly by employing the refugees it will help fill the labour gaps in these sectors,” he told Bernama when contacted here.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced a government pioneer project to enable Rohingya refugees holding the UNHCR cards to be legally employed begining from March 1.

Zahid said as at Dec 31 last year, 149,474 UNHCR cardholders from 62 countries were recorded in Malaysia.

Commenting further, Shamsuddin said the decision proved the government’s commitment in helping ethnic Rohingyas who had been residing in the country but were illegally employed.

He said previously they were forced to work illegally to earn a living and this had encouraged them to engage in illegal and undesirable activities.