Mahatir reassures Suharto he won't expel a million Indonesian migrant workers

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohammed, says his country -- despite its economic crisis -- will try hard to avoid repatriating the estimated two-million migrant workers within its borders.

Dr Mahathir was speaking after talks in Jakarta with President Suharto of Indonesia, where most of the workers come from.

Indonesia had expressed alarm at the prospect of a vast influx of returning people, at a time when its own, worse, economic problems are expected to lead to a sharp rise in unemployment.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia would try to transfer the migrants to areas, such as the plantation sector, where they could find new work; last week he had warned that many could face expulsion.

Another country, Thailand, facing similar problems has already announced that at least three-hundred-thousand foreign workers will be sent home.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service