Malaysian Minister for Works Samy Vellu clarified that the statement banning Indians from working in Malaysia is false.

He issued the clarification on the sidelines of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at New Delhi on Tuesday.

Vellu, who belongs to the Malaysian Indian Congress and is part of the ruling party in Malaysia, said that immediately after the news broke out he contacted his prime minister who confirmed that the news was false.

He also said he held talks with the secretary general of home affairs and also the human resources ministry, and they too said that the statement was wrong.

India's Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi who was present with Vellu said the minister has to be trusted and not the news agencies.

Earlier, reports said that Malaysia had frozen the recruitment of Indian workers, including temple priests, sculptors and musicians, a move apparently linked to the recent mass protests by the ethnic Indians here against their alleged marginalisation.

Workers from India will not be recruited, according to an official circular, news reports had said.

The report said that the decision was taken by the Malaysian government on December 18 but made public on Tuesday when Defence Minister A K Antony ended his three-day visit to Malaysia. It follows mass protests by the ethnic Indians, led by non-governmental Hindu Rights Action Forum (Hindraf), against the alleged marginalisation of the community, reports said.

With inputs from PTI