KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Friday said it would freeze recruitment of all foreign workers and review employment policies, following protests over its plans to bring in millions of workers to satisfy industry demand.

“The suspension will be in force until the government is satisfied with the manpower needs of the industries,” state news agency Bernama said, citing Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The protests by Malaysian labor groups and firms followed reports that the Southeast Asian country planned to hire about 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers over three years to meet the demand from industry for labor.

Later the government clarified that its pact with Bangladesh would only allow 1.5 million workers to seek jobs in Malaysia, and did not mean that all of them would be recruited.

Enforcement measures will also be stepped up against illegal foreign workers throughout Malaysia, Ahmad Zahid added.“Foreign workers without valid documents or those who have overstayed will be arrested and sent back to their country of origin,” the agency quoted him as saying.