The Malaysian government will study Sime Darby Group Bhd’s request to bring in workers from Sri Lanka to work in the plantation sector, says Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said Malaysia would also look into a request by Sri Lanka to send more of its skilled and semi-skilled workers.

“Sime Darby has asked for 5,000 workers from Sri Lanka to work in its plantations.

“Both countries will have to study the legal aspects of the request and if approved, the workers will have to undergo training to understand Malaysian socio-cultural, communication and legal matters before they start working,” Dr Ahmad Zahid said yesterday after meeting with Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Employ­ment Thalatha Atukorale and Minister of Home Affairs Vajira Abeywar­dena.

Dr Ahmad Zahid is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka.

To a question, he said there were currently 6,500 Sri Lankan workers being employed in the manufacturing, services and maid sectors.

The meeting also discussed Sri Lanka’s request to allow its students to be issued with long-term student visas.

There are now 1,200 Sri Lankan students in Malaysian institutions.

“We have to study this as there are students from other countries studying in Malaysia and there is a need to look into the security and legal aspects,” he added.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said the government had extended an official invitation to Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena to visit Malaysia in December.