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?
“Overseas economies are now more cautious,
in fear of terror attacks, and are exercising their right to greater security.
I strongly warn and appeal to Filipinos against working abroad as undocumented
workers,” Pichay said.
<P>He made the call in the wake of a report from
Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Victoriano Lecaros that, for the past few months,
an average of 200 Filipinos are being deported from Malaysia every week for violating
the Southeast Asian country’s immigration laws. Documented Filipinos number
around 20,000 to 30,000 in Malaysia but Lecaros refused to venture a guess as
to how many undocumented Filipinos there are.</P><P>Lecaros said the Philippine
embassy was trying its best to make the deportation less complicated and less
cumbersome for the Filipinos.</P><P>He said Malaysia has every right to enforce
its laws within its territory and that includes deporting Filipinos who may be
violating the Malaysian laws.</P><P>Pichay said the situation could have been
avoided had the foreign affairs department been more aggressive with its information
campaign.</P><P>“We should implement more effective ways of information dissemination
to help people interested in overseas work avail of proper documentation and have
easier access to other related government services,” he said.</P><P>Pichay,
author of House Bill 1754, known as “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos
Act Amendment of 1998,” said there should be increased cooperation among
local government units and other agencies against illegal recruitment; and, a
stronger information campaign to discourage people from risking working as undocumented
migrants.</P><P>The Surigao del Sur lawmaker said there are an estimated 10 million
Filipino overseas workers worldwide, about 11 percent of the country’s 89
million population. Approximately one million Pinoys leave the country each year
to work abroad. This number is the third largest in terms of population among
overseas Asian groups.</P><P>“I appeal to our countrymen attracted to working
overseas to avail of our government’s improved documentation services and
avoid the embarrassment if not real dangers faced by undocumented foreign workers,”
Pichay said. Macon Ramos Araneta, Michael Caber</P><P><I>Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics2_mar24_2007</I>
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