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?
These requirements had to be completed before the workers could be deployed,
although it has been three months since Malaysia announced the intake of 100,000
Pakistanis to work in the country.
<p>The Pakistan High Commission’s community welfare and labour counsellor, Abdul
Aziz Uqaili, said the first batch of Pakistani workers was awaiting the stamping
of their entry/ employment visas by the Malaysian High Commission in Pakistan.</p>
<p>They were expected to arrive very soon, he said.</p>
<p>"The High Commission for Pakistan in Kuala Lumpur reaffirms the commitment
of the Government of Pakistan to supply professionally-sound and disciplined,
physically-fit and healthy workers to Malaysia, in the shortest time possible,
to contribute to the economic growth of Malaysia," he said.</p>
<p>Home Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid announced in March that Malaysia had granted
approval for 100,000 Pakistanis to work here.</p>
<p>Pakistan said then that the workers could arrive within a month from the announcement.</p>
<p>Up till June 24, the High Commission has attested that employers had applied
for 7,778 Pakistani workers.</p>
<p>Abdul Aziz said the figure was encouraging rather than a sign of poor response.
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