About 140,000 Indian migrants work in Malaysia, constituting the third largest group of foreign workers. Most take low-paying jobs as waiters, barbers and gardeners. however, some hold top professional posts in banks and information technology industries.

About 8 percent of the country's population is ethnic Indian, some of whose families have lived in Malaysia for at least two generations.

Malaysia had barred employers from recruiting any more Bangladeshi workers in October following problems sparked by labor agents who leave the migrants stranded on arrival. There are some 200,000 Bangladeshi workers now in Malaysia.

An official from the Home Ministry confirmed the latest decision — which has not been officially announced — when reporters called for comment on a statement by a religious group that Indian temple workers were being denied permission to work in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism said it was shocked by the policy change and urged the government to reconsider its decision, warning this was a sensitive issue to non-Muslims in the country.

An official at the Indian Embassy said the mission is in touch with the "authorities concerned on the reported circular." The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing protocol, did not elaborate.

The Home Ministry official said Indian workers who are already in the country will be allowed to stay until their permits expire, but they will not be renewed.

He said the ban is related to recent unrest among the country's minority ethnic Indians, who are demanding racial equality in the Muslim majority country. Another ministry official also confirmed the ban order. Both spoke on condition of anonymity, citing protocol.

In November, about 20,000 ethnic Indians, most of whom are Hindus, demonstrated on the streets, complaining of discrimination, in a rare and open challenge to the government. They say an affirmative action program that favors the majority Malay Muslims denies them equal access to jobs and education. The Indians also say their religious rights are being trampled by Islamic officials.

Subsequently, the government arrested the top five leaders of the group that organized the protest, the Hindu Rights Action Force. They are currently being held under a law that allows indefinite detention without trial.

Malays form about 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people. Ethnic Chinese account for a quarter.

One of the Home Ministry official said three categories of Hindu temple workers — priests, sculptors and musicians — were specifically mentioned in the order because some of them were believed to have fanned emotional anger in the local Indian community through their sermons and support.

The order did not specify whether other categories of workers, like professionals, would be included, but it is believed to cover all workers from India, the two officials said.

Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia's top labor markets, with 2.2 million registered migrant workers out of its 11 million work force. Hundreds of thousands more work illegally in the country.

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Malaysian religious leaders protest over priest visa cuts

5 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Non-Muslim religious groups said Tuesday that Malaysia is refusing to issue new visas for foreign priests, in the latest eruption of ethnic discord in the multicultural nation.

Foreign priests already in the country have only been given six-month renewals and told they must leave after expiry, said the head of the Malaysian Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism.

The council's president A. Vaithilingam said the restrictions mostly affected ethnic Indian Hindus, who have been at the centre of a discrimination row, and that there would now not be enough priests to conduct prayers.

"We want an explanation from the prime minister and the government on this," Vaithilingam told AFP.

"Why are they carrying out the sudden action to restrict foreign priests from practicing in the country when there are millions of foreign workers who are allowed to work here," he said.

Vaithilingam, who is also president of the leading Hindu organisation the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, said that about 200 Hindu priests were the majority of foreign clergy here, but that there are also some Buddhists and Taoists.

He said visas for temple musicians have also been reduced from one year to six months while temple sculptors have had their permits reduced from six months to one week.

"I am shocked because normally Immigration has a talk with us before changing any policy and this has happened without any discussion," he said.

Immigration department officials confirmed that the visas issued to priests were being restricted but refused to give details.

Vaithilingam said that major temples like the one at Batu Caves, on the fringes of the capital Kuala Lumpur and a major tourist attraction, would be hard hit.

"These priests are important as they carry out special prayers and rituals and so it will be difficult at places like Batu Caves to have big prayers and people will not be able to pray the way they need to," he said.

A row over race and religion has gripped Malaysia in recent months. It was triggered by unprecedented protests last November that alleged ethnic Indians faced discrimination at the hands of majority Muslim Malays.

The row flared again last week when the government told a Catholic paper not to use the word "Allah" to refer to a non-Muslim God, and threatened to revoke its licence.

Taoist Malaysians are also upset over a government ban on the construction of the world's tallest Taoist Goddess of the Sea statue on Borneo island.

About 60 percent of the nation's 27 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims while the rest are mostly ethnic Indians and Chinese who are largely Hindu, Buddhist or Christian.

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Malaysian minister denies ban on Indian workers

NDTV Correspondent

Tuesday, January 8, 2008 (Kuala Lumpur)

Amidst widespread speculation on the banning of Indian workers in Malaysia, a minister from the country has denied reports that suggest the same.

Earlier in the day, reports saying that the ban was effective since mid-December, and had come to light only now, after the Malaysian government was questioned as to why certain Indians were being denied visas, was making the rounds of the diplomatic circles.

Sources had claimed that according to a circular by the Malaysian government, all workers from India, including priests, sculptors and musicians were to be banned from working in Malaysia.

There are 1 lakh 40 thousand Indian workers in Malaysia, out of which priests, musicians and sculptors account for only a few hundred.

In November last year, the Malaysian government came down heavily on protests by ethnic Indians demanding equality.

This had also led to a war of words between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi and Malaysia's foreign minister.