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?
While Rela is authorised to conduct these raids on its own, police and immigration officers should still supervise, he said.
<P>"Rela members are doing a very good
job, but it will be inconvenient to the people being checked without proper supervision
from the police and immigration officers," Chong said yesterday.</P><P>On
Monday, the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) said it had received many complaints
accusing Rela volunteers of assaults and even theft.</P><P>Suhakam commissioner
Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam also raised concerns that Rela raiding teams would exceed
their authority or abuse their powers.</P><P>These comments followed police investigations
of a series of Rela raids in Selangor earlier this month. The probe was centred
on whether Rela officers had accompanied the raiding teams as required.</P><P>Police
detained eight Rela members who were accused of beating two Nepalese workers with
canes.</P><P>Last month, Home Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said Rela
is expected to round up some 40,000 illegal immigrants this year, double that
of last year.</P><P><I>Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Thursday/National/20070315091626/Article/index_html</I>
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