Malaysia's student intern requirement raises alarm among businesses

Effort to foster domestic talent risks pushing foreign companies away

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Malaysia is working to foster talent in order to join the ranks of high-income countries. © Reuters

FUMIKA SATO

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia's new requirement for companies hiring foreign workers to also hire local student interns has sparked concern over the potential burden on companies, including multinationals.

Under the new policy announced in mid-January, companies operating in Malaysia will need to hire one to three student interns for every expatriate Employment Pass -- a visa granted to managers and workers with specialized skills.

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