FOREIGN WORKERS REMIT HOME RM9.12 BIL AS OF JUNE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Foreign workers in Malaysia have remitted a
whopping RM9.12 billion to their families back home until end of June, with each
of them sending an average of RM720 a month, the Lower House of Parliament heard
Wednesday.

In disclosing the figures, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak
said the remittance is expected to swell to a staggering RM18.1 billion by
year-end.

As of July 31, there were 2.1 million foreign workers in the country, said
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, when replying to Halimah Sadique, a
National Front (Barisan Nasional - BN) member of Parliament.

Halimah, the Johor Wanita Umno chief, had queried on steps taken by
the
government to stem the outflow of the Ringgit during question time.

Najib said Malaysia's strong financial reserve could cushion the
impact of the substantial outflow of funds which accounted for only 4.7 percent
of the current reserve.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the government was closely monitoring the
currency outflow through banks offering the remittance service.

He, however, said the government did not propose to impose a levy or tax on
the foreign workers' remittance to their homeland in appreciation of their
contributions to the national economy through their involvement in the
manufacturing and plantation sectors.

In a long-term move to reduce reliance on foreign workforce, Najib said the
government would implement various measures, including introducing Industrial
Building System in the construction sector.

The government had set a target to slash by 400,000 aliens a year from this
year until 2010 particularly in the two economic sectors.

-- BERNAMA