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?
Citing abuse and corruption in the system, they are asking for a model contract
for the employment of foreign workers, said Datuk M. Ramachelvam, chairman of
the council’s ad-hoc committee on the Immigration Act.
<p>He said the call was made following a consultation recently between the committee,
Tenaganita, a representative from the Foreign Labour Division of the Home Affairs
Ministry, representatives from several diplomatic missions that have an interest
in human rights abuses and trafficking of workers, as well as some Bangladeshi
workers. </p>
<p>“Tenaganita’s fact-finding report shows clearly that these workers,
especially those who have been recruited through outsourcing companies, have
been exploited; most said they had paid 100% more than the Tk 85,000 (RM4,250)
fee to work here.” </p>
<p>The recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, frozen from 1996 to July 2006, is now
done through outsourcing companies approved by the Home Affairs Ministry and
in partnership with Baira, the national umbrella body of recruiting agents in
Bangladesh. Also, the Bangladesh High Commission attests all contracts. </p>
<p>Tenaganita said it received numerous calls from March this year from Bangladeshi
workers who had no jobs or had not been paid, were locked up in the premises
where they were supposed to stay and were not given food. </p>
<p>In its 72-page report titled Outsourcing in Labour or Trafficking in Migrant
Labour? Tenaganita said outsourcing, which was supposed to stop the exploitation
of migrant workers, had turned out instead to be a form of bonded labour that
could be interpreted as “trafficking in persons for labour exploitation.”
</p>
<p><i>Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/13/nation/18277690&sec=nation</i>
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