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 today, also 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 Ipoh magistrate’s court.</p>
<p>Judge Datuk Mohd Azman Husin then ordered the workers to be released immediately.</p>
<p>The applicants were arrested in a raid on the outlet on Aug 8 and were taken
to the magistrate’s court for remand the next day. They were remanded for five
days for investigations under Section 55B of the Immigration Act.</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, being
waiters, bartenders, cashiers and administrative staff.</p>
<p>He said there was no link between the applicants and the offence for which
they were being investigated.</p>
<p>He said the applicants were all locals and had cooperated with the police.
There was no reason for them to be detained for further investigations, he added.</p>
<p>Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Badariah Mohd Yusof, however, submitted that
it was not wrong to remand the applicants under Section 55B as it was still
within the scope of investigations by the authorities.</p>
<p>The workers were needed to track the employer of the illegal workers, she said.</p>
<p>She also said the magistrate had considered all aspects of the order and only
allowed a five-day remand instead of the seven days applied for.
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