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?
Empowered to enter premises and make arrests, Rela has recently been spearheading
large-scale raids, said Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad.
<p>"It’s 100,000 (active) members are able and willing to become our
eyes and ears, and will be in charge of hunting down illegal immigrants."</p>
<p>The corps was formed in 1972 under Emergency laws to assist security agencies,
such as the Immigration Department and the police.</p>
<p>Now 300,000-strong, it has however, been criticised for heavy-handed tactics
and abuse of power in several incidents earlier this year, triggering concern
over vigilantism.</p>
<p>On Sunday, a group of Cheras residents complained of their aggressive methods
and property damage following a raid there on Oct 14.</p>
<p>Radzi said the operation in Cheras netted more than 500 foreign workers who
had overstayed, and another operation in Selayang netted 400 illegal immigrants.</p>
<p>"If there are real complaints, I will make sure the Rela member responsible
will pay for it.</p>
<p>"Give them a chance to work. If any Rela member oversteps his powers,
I will take care of it," he told reporters on Tuesday.</p>
<p>He said if the public was too sensitive over the way Rela worked, things would
not get done.</p>
<p>He added Rela raids would be intensified next year and the ministry was aiming
to start a nationwide blitz in January.</p>
<p>"There are thousands more (illegal immigrants). We are going on a nationwide
hunt for them, so employers, beware."</p>
<p>The government has turned to Rela to pursue and arrest illegal workers because
agencies such as the police and the Immigration Department are short-handed.</p>
<p>The Immigration Department has just 8,122 workers nationwide, for example,
said Immigration Department director-general Datuk Wahid Md Don.</p>
<p>He said the green light for Rela to lead operations came six months ago. Enforcement
officers from the Immigration and other security agencies would accompany Rela’s
raiding teams, he added.</p>
<p>"Our enforcers can now concentrate on paperwork and focus on prosecution
rather than spending time rounding up illegal immigrants," he said.</p>
<p>"We have received very few complaints about Rela members."</p>
<p>Of the 1.8 million migrants workers here, nearly 500,000 of them are believed
to have overstayed, had expired work permits or entered the country illegally.</p>
<p>Earlier this year, two Rela members were detained for questioning after complaints
they had forced a group of men to do the duck walk around a residential area.</p>
<p>Rela members also detained for two weeks a Nepalese student, Kedar Thapa, who
had valid travel documents. Several members were also sued earlier this year
over a 2003 incident where a woman detained in a raid was photographed urinating
in a truck.
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