KUALA LUMPUR 2 June: All foreign workers must undergo a compulsory training course in their home country before they can enter Malaysia, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said.

The rule, which came into effect on June 1, however would not apply to domestic help except for those from Indonesia.

This was because the Indonesian government requested that domestic help coming from its country be made to undergo some sort of training.

Dr Subramaniam said the courses, which would cost about RM120 in total, would focus on the culture, language and the laws of Malaysia.

"Indonesia domestic helpers will not need to do the Bahasa Malaysia module," he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby here on Monday.

He said the five-hour training would be carried out by appointed agencies in the source countries and would be monitored by the ministry via an online system.