THERE are more than a million registered foreign workers in the country who are engaged in the agricultural, construction, services, industrial and manufacturing sectors.

They come largely from Third World countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, where they face poverty and unemployment. Their skills and cheap labour contribute tremendously to the economy of this country. However, their presence, especially in large numbers, has also caused a lot of social problems.

There have been frequent disputes when the workers of different nationalities work and live together. The report, "Workers clash over a woman" (NST, June 9) is a prime example.

According to the report, more than 200 workers from Vietnam and Bangladesh clashed outside their hostels at a textile factory in Nilai, leaving 23 injured.

The fight was allegedly over a Bangladeshi man trying to get friendly with a Vietnamese woman but who did not reciprocate his advances and complained to her boyfriend who, with a group of friends, beat up the Bangladeshi.

There have also been cases of foreign workers getting involved with local women and running away with them to their countries.

During public holidays and weekends parts of city centres and towns are swamped with foreign workers. In their flashy outfits, they are quite loud, vociferous and scary.

Hopefully, the government will review its policy on issuing work permits to foreigners, and locals should take up the jobs usually undertaken by foreigners.