Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Immigration Enforcement Director Datuk
Ishak Mohamed said two of them were plantation companies with addresses in Teluk
Intan and Putrajaya.
<P>He told reporters, here Tuesday that companies that
brought in foreign workers must obtain permits for the workers within a month,
failing which the workers were deemed illegal immigrants for being in the country
longer than they were supposed to.</P><P>"This is a serious offence because
employers employing more than five foreign workers illegally can be whipped,"
he said, advising the firms to immediately come to the department to sort out
the matter.</P><P>He said companies that had flouted immigration regulations might
no longer be allowed to bring in foreign workers.</P><P>Ishak also said that another
61 firms had brought in 4,707 Bangladeshis but had yet to obtain working permits
for them.</P><P>However, their visas were still valid, he added.</P><P>He said
that since the government lifted the freeze on the intake of Bangladeshi workers
on Aug 1, 76 companies had applied to do so and 15,047 workers had their visas
approved.– BERNAMA
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