Muhyiddin said he was aware that the oil palm and rubber sectors had been facing a severe shortage of manpower.

He added that he had directed the home affairs and energy and natural resources ministries to study how to implement this without causing issues later in the future.

“Malaysians don’t want to work (in the farming sector). They want to work in air-conditioned places.

“Those who can work are the Bangladeshis or Indonesians, but they can’t enter because the airports and our borders are closed due to Covid-19.

“Since they can’t enter Malaysia, perhaps we can give them temporary passes, legitimising them or pardoning them,” he said at an event here today.

Muhyiddin said he did not want this measure to be misconstrued as it could allow illegal syndicates to take advantage by bringing more undocumented migrants into the country.

“They might say, it’s okay, the Malaysian prime minister is a nice man, stay for a year and you’ll get a work pass. That’s wrong.

“But because of the current difficulties (due to the pandemic), as a temporary measure, let them work for a year or two.

“After that, when it’s over, they can return (to their home countries). That’s all I can say.

“We’ll consider the situation first and then try to implement it.”