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?
"I was shocked to hear that the MoU has been approved by the government of the two countries,
as certain points in the agreement has explicitly said that employers can withhold
the passports of migrant workers," a UN special envoy for migrant workers’
human rights, Jorge Bustamante, told the press here on Wednesday.
<P>According to him, the point that gave the employers the right to withhold the passports of migrant workers under the MoU signed in May 2006 was one of the most serious problems he found in his visit to Indonesia from December 12 to 21.</P>
<P>"This stipulation is seen as a paradox, because the policy will be able to produce more
illegal migrant workers," Antara news agency quoted Bustamante as saying.</P>
<P>In addition to the special privilege of employers in withholding the passports of workers, he also discovered some serious violations of human rights such the whipping punishment on migrant workers.</P><P>Earlier, former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, on Monday admitted that he was embarrassed with his government’s policy on the whipping of Indonesian migrant workers, which is also a violation of Malaysian regulations.</P>
<P>He said he had expressed disagreement to the Malaysian
government’s policy in an open forum, because it was unfair and against Islamic
norms in addition to being a Malaysian arrogance.</P><P>According to him, if there
is an Indonesian worker who had broken the law, it would be better to deport them,
rather than struck with the cane. — BERNAMA
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