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?
The High Court, in making the ruling yesterday, held this to be the case, even
if the detention was to find the actual employer.
<p>This followed an application by Lai Kwan Choi, 56, and nine others, all local
employees of Oriental KTV, an entertainment outlet here, for a revision of the
remand order against them by the magistrate’s court here.</p>
<p>Judge Datuk Mohd Azman Husin ordered the workers to be released immediately.</p>
<p>The employees were arrested in a raid on the outlet on Aug 8. They were taken
to the magistrate’s court for remand the next day and remanded for five
days for investigations under Section 55(B) of the Immigration Act for harbouring
illegal workers.</p>
<p>Ranjeet Singh Sandhu, for the applicants, contended that it was wrong for the
remand order to be issued as the applicants were themselves employees, such
as waiters and administrative staff.</p>
<p>He said there was no link between the applicants and the offence for which
they were investigated. The applicants were locals and had co-operated with
the police.</p>
<p>Deputy public prosecutor Siti Badariah Mohd Yusof, however, submitted that
it was not wrong to remand the applicants under Section 55(B) as it was still
within the scope of investigations.
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