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?
He said although the Federal Court had found them ineligible for the post last
Sept 6 on grounds that they had not fulfilled the requirement of seven-year
active practice as lawyers, the awards ordered by them were valid.
<p>"This is to protect public interest," he said when winding up the
debate on the Supply Bill 2007 in the Dewan Rakyat Wednesday.</p>
<p>He was replying to Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar (BN-Larut) and M. Kulasegaran
(DAP-Ipoh Barat) who wanted to know if the awards made by the two former Industrial
Court chairmen could be challenged since they were found to be not eligible
for the post.</p>
<p>"Currently, there are three vacancies for the post of Industrial Court
chairman, and these will be filled by practising lawyers to ensure that those
appointed are experienced lawyers."</p>
<p>He said of the 381 cases disposed of last year, awards made in 229 cases were
in favour of the workers and for this year, as at June, 55 per cent of the 240
awards handed down favoured the workers.</p>
<p>On another matter, Fong said 931 applications had been received from Malaysians
working abroad to return home since the government introduced a programme in
2001 to encourage Malaysians overseas to return to serve the country.</p>
<p>Of the total, 432 applications were approved with 294 of them having returned
to Malaysia, he added.</p>
<p>The approved applications included those in the medical and health (140 people)
sector, information technology (101), accounting and finance (69), science and
technology (21), education (seven), arts and culture (three) and aerospace (two).</p>
<p>Fong said the applicants included those working in the United Kingdom, United
States, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada and China.</p>
<p>He said under the programme, the successful applicants would have to serve
in Malaysia for five years. — BERNAMA
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