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 Mont Kiara-based company was found to have committed the offence after six Filipinos it brought in were arrested on Wednesday night for working at an entertainment outlet in Kuala Lumpur.
<p>Immigration enforcement director Datuk Ishak Muhammad said his department would
also seize the RM250,000 bond placed by the company when applying for the outsourcing
licence. </p>
<p>“The department will advise the Home Affairs Ministry to cancel the outsourcing
licence awarded to this company. Obviously, it has violated the law. </p>
<p>“We need to take tough action to deter the other 100-odd outsourcing companies
from committing the same offence. We need to show that we mean business,”
he told reporters yesterday. </p>
<p>Ishak said the Filipinos were brought in by the company to work in the service
sector (hotels and resorts) and not at pubs and bistros, adding that the foreign
workers who were arrested at one such outlet in Sri Hartamas would be deported
soon. </p>
<p>He said the six were paid RM1,665 a month each and were asked to work six days
a week. </p>
<p>On another matter, Ishak said the department’s flying squad has been directed
to enforce stricter controls at all exit points, especially the Penang International
Airport, Penang Port, Port Klang, the Stulang Laut ferry terminal in Johor and
also KL International Airport, to nab illegal immigrants from “creeping
out of the country so they can celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri in their homeland”.
</p>
<p>Those who have overstayed should come to the Immigration Department to obtain
a special pass allowing them to leave the country, Ishak said, adding that a
compound fine of RM30 a day would be imposed on those who have overstayed for
a month. </p>
<p>Those who have overstayed for six months would be compounded RM1,000 and those
overstaying for more than six months RM2,000. Those whose entry date could not
be determined would be slapped with a maximum compound of RM3,000. </p>
<p><i>Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/9/28/nation/19018353&sec=nation</i>
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