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?
Management staff of the five factories near here alleged that at 1.30am on
Saturday, a team of 30 to 40 Rela members turned up to look for illegal foreign
workers. Half of the Rela members were not in uniform.
<p>All the company spokesmen condemned the way Rela members conducted their search
for illegal workers.</p>
<p>The five companies: Rhong Khen Industries Sdn Bhd, Golden Components Industries
Sdn Bhd, Hsin Foong Manufacturer Sdn Bhd, Latitude Tree Furniture Sdn Bhd and
Lam Yam Furniture Sdn Bhd have lodged reports at the Klang police headquarters
over the incident.</p>
<p>Representatives for the factories held a press conference at one of the factories
yesterday.</p>
<p>Rhong Khen Industries Sdn Bhd management staff Lim See Keong claimed that 18
of his foreign workers had been detained during the raid.</p>
<p>“All five factories are unhappy with the method used to search the premises
as our workers have legal work permits,” said Lim.</p>
<p>“We also feel that such raids put fear in our workers and furthermore
our workers claimed to have lost hand phones and cash after the raids.”</p>
<p>Golden Components Industries official Khoo Chong Kai said seven of his Nepalese
workers were detained, while a Hsin Foong Manufacturer Sdn Bhd staff said 16
foreign workers from his company were detained.</p>
<p>Khoo said all workers had valid work permits but at 1.30am it was difficult
to produce the documents as they were kept in the office. </p>
<p>“Detaining the workers is not a proper thing to do as it only disrupts
operations of all our factories,” he added.</p>
<p>According to them, their workers had been detained at the Semenyih Detention
Camp.</p>
<p>Earlier, workers of Latitude Tree Furniture Sdn Bhd claimed that Rela members
had beaten them with canes and iron rods, leaving welts on their bodies when
they refused to open the doors.</p>
<p>According to a factory supervisor, 23 of his workers were detained while two
Bangladeshi workers sustained head injuries and were given outpatient treatment
here.</p>
<p>Pressmen were shown plywood doors with gaping holes and knobs missing, which
the Rela members had allegedly damaged in their effort to get into the workers’
rooms.</p>
<p>Klang acting OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Rodwan Mohd Yusof confirmed that five factories
had lodged reports over the matter.</p>
<p>“We also received a report from Rela and investigations are being carried
out,” he said.
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