He said the final process is being refined and it includes technical matters, recruitment procedures and the signing of memoranda between the agencies of all the countries involved.

He was speaking to reporters after presenting 100 laptops to students from B40 low-income families, part of a corporate social responsibility programme by TalentCorp.

Saravanan said the ministry had received more than 200,000 online applications for foreign workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Cambodia for various sectors.

“The recruitment of workers from Indonesia involves procedures between the manpower ministry and a related agency in that country.

“The process involving workers from Bangladesh has been completed,” he said.

He said he was also finalising Malaysia’s agreement with Cambodia to bring in Muslim maids.

“I will be there in July and will most likely seal the deal. Apart from Indonesia, Cambodia can offer a large number of domestic helpers from the Muslim community,” he said.

It was reported that the lack of workers is causing many business premises, including restaurants, from operating 24 hours despite being able to do so after the country entered the transition to the endemic phase.