Speaking at his first monthly meeting with ministry staff, he said there was no need to rehire illegal workers.

“We should not legalise what is illegal,” he added.

“The procedure is to make sure locals are given priority. Some say locals are not ready to work in dirty jobs. No air-conditioning. They say no one wants to work in oil palm estates and padi fields. But our priority is the local worker.”

Adding however that the country still needed foreign workers, Muhyiddin said the hiring system had to be better managed. He spoke of a one-stop centre to evaluate applications by employers. Those with genuine reasons would be allowed to hire foreign workers, he said.

But he said there would be a limit on these, with selection criteria to include the workers’ experience.

“The question is, the number of foreign workers in Malaysia is huge. The people are asking why there are so many foreign workers.

“Sometimes they are more than us. They are taking over our business centres,” he added.

This followed his announcement two days ago that a special committee had been set up to review policies on foreign workers.

The rehiring programme was implemented on Feb 16, 2016, to provide illegal foreign workers with working permits to fulfil labour requirements for certain sectors, including manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture and services.

As of May 28, a total of 744,942 illegal foreign workers and 83,919 employers had registered under the programme.

Muhyiddin to lead committee to reduce foreign workers, illegals