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?
Its programme co-ordinator Aegile Fernandez said Tenaganita was able to detect
more than 1,050 human rights violations ranging from rape to physical abuse
since 2005.
<p>“An average of six to seven violations were recorded per case but in more
serious cases, there were up to 10 violations. The most common violations have
been non-payment of wages and physical abuse. </p>
<p>“More than 70% of these cases have been settled while the rest were referred
by the police to the Attorney-General’s office and are awaiting decisions,"
she said. </p>
<p>According to Fernandez, there was also a rise in child labour cases with children
aged 15 being recruited as domestic workers. </p>
<p>“This is bonded labour which can be classified as human trafficking,”
she told reporters after opening a two-day gender sensitisation training programme
for the police at a hotel in Tanjong Tokong here. </p>
<p>She said Malaysia had ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) and Convention on the Rights of the
Child (CRC). </p>
<p>“But we have failed to live up to our commitment to protect their rights.
</p>
<p>“Investigation officers need to be gender-sensitised when handling investigations
as the bulk of domestic workers are women who faced violence in an isolated
work environment,” she added.</p>
<p><i>Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/8/15/nation/20070815150145&sec=nation</i>
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