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?
Loo Ming Cheong, one of the directors
of Ng Kuok Thai & Sons (Kanthan) Sdn Bhd, testified that the amount owing
in retrenchment benefits and outstanding bonuses was too much to pay.
<P>“I
don’t agree that we, the directors, have to pay the workers out of our own
pockets,” he said yesterday. </P><P>Loo said this after M. Kulasegaran, counsel
for the workers, questioned how the Lumut-based company, which was inactive since
September 2003, was able to make EPF payments for its workers if it had no more
money. </P><P>The workers, unhappy at failing to get their benefits after they
were retrenched in 2003, had filed three separate claims with the Labour Court
here. </P><P>The following year, the Labour Court ordered the company to pay up.
</P><P>When the company did not pay within 14 days, the Labour Court brought the
matter to the Sessions Court here in April 2004. </P><P>Judge Ahmad Nasfy Yasin
fixed April 12 for continued hearing.</P><P><I>Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/2/8/north/16814817&sec=north</I>
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