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?
BY LEE SHI-IAN
The disasters which have struck Malaysia Airlines flights MH370 and MH17 have demoralised the 3,000 members of the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM) and affected their work performance, its president said.
Ismail Nasaruddin said the cabin crews could not come to terms with the loss of 21 colleagues in just four months.
“While our members are continuing to work, some have been unable to perform their duties because they have been affected mentally.”
Ismail said NUFAM members had yet to come to terms with the mysterious disappearance of MH370 and now had to cope with the loss of MH17 as well.
“Just as we were about to accept the loss of MH370, another aircraft disaster involving a MAS flight occurs.”
“NUFAM has gone through a series of challenges and obstacles since MH370 disappeared on March 8,” Ismail told a press conference at the Sama-Sama Hotel tonight.
He revealed that 11 of the 15 crew members aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 were NUFAM members.
“We were deeply saddened and shocked when we heard about the tragic end of flight MH17,” Ismail said.
Flight MH17 had departed from Amsterdam on Thursday with 298 people on board, including three infants.
The Kuala Lumpur-bound flight was shot down by a surface-to-air missile over Ukraine.
Ismail condemned the manner in which MH17 had been shot down, saying innocent lives were lost in such a tragic manner.
“Lives which are consumed by war and conflict is unacceptable. The violence should be condemned,” he said.
Ismail also raised the prospect of the Malaysia Airlines flight being intentionally targeted by the terrorists responsible for the incident.
“Why was MH17 targeted out of the hundreds of flights which had taken the same flight path?
“Was it done with the intention of killing all those innocent lives aboard the flight?
“Is the logo of Malaysia Airlines similar to that of a Russian or Ukrainian aircraft?” Ismail speculated.
Ismail pointed out that MAS flights had been flying through Ukrainian airspace for years without any problems. – July 19, 2014.
Source: The Malaysian Insider
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