Nepalese look forward for change through 13th general election

Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia are looking forward to the 13th general elections with the hope that their circumstances may be addressed with a new government.

 

There are almost a million Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia, currently plying their skills in various sectors.

Citizen Journalists Malaysia recently spoke to some Nepalese on their expectations on the May 5th polling.

Excitements abound

Malaysian based Nepali labour leader, Sundar Aale Magar reckoned that, just like millions of Malaysians, he is equally excited about the Sunday election.

“Malaysia looks like a beautiful bride with the decoration of poster, banners and other materials of promotion,” said Sundar.

He also added that the excitement in this election is different from the past elections and I wish the whole democracy process to be a great success.”

Sundar hopes that the in coming government would for once, give importance to migrant workers.

“We want us to be treated with dignity and provide some security for us,” said Sundar.

According to Sundar, currently they have to pay high amount for medical treatment.

“We would be glad if the government helps us with an affordable medical treatments and end the provision of deducting levy from workers salary,” added Sundar.

Treat us equally

Meanwhile, coordinator for General Federation of Nepali Trade Union (G-Font) support group Bedh Kumar Khatiwada said that the new Malaysian government should strive harder to protect the lives of the migrant workers.

“Our wish is that the income of immigrant’s workers in Malaysia should be enough to live a quality life and they should have equal and ample opportunities to develop their career,” said Kumar.

Kumar also stressed that the workplace should be safe and secure for the migrant workers to work.

Up to January 2012, almost 2000 Nepali workers have been reported dead and most of it are due to industrial accidents and work related issues.

“We want to form our union so that we can talk about our work and labour freely. We want our voice to be heard,” said Kumar.

Nepal literary figure, Shreejhan Shree feels that the new minimum wage, which has been set by the previous government, has not come into effect yet.

Following that, the new government should look into ways of implementing the minimum wage effectively.

He also said that the new government should eliminate the levy and hostel charges imposed by the employers.

Furthermore, the Nepali workers currently serving prison sentence must also be deported back without conditions.

Skilled vs. non-skilled

Nepali labourer, Yam Bahadur said that the new government must start recognizing that there are skilled Nepali workers that come and work in Malaysia.

“We don’t get jobs according to our ability and skills. Everyone gets same kind of labourer job,” he said.

“Everyone comes here as a labourer but there should be provisions where employee asks the worker about their skills and ability and allocate job accordingly,”

Peace of mind

According to remittance worker Shiva Subedi, migrant workers are equally excited about the election and hopes that the new government will step forward to solve the problems of the migrant workers.

“The workers feeling insecure and want a new policy to address the problem,” said Shiva.

For the past 10 years, Malaysia has been the main destination for Nepalese workers.

Even though, there’s close to one million Nepalese working here, Nepal and Malaysia are far away from a labour agreement.

Nepalese working here are still unaware of their rights.- Malaysiakini, CJMY, 5/5/2013, Nepalese look forward for change through 13th general election

32,664 undocumented migrants have been whipped after they were found guilty under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Undocumented migrants continue to whipped in Malaysia. Interestingly, not all undocumented migrants arrested are charged and convicted in court - some are arrested, detained and deported. 

32,664 whipped under the Immigration Act would be the undocumented migrants.  

Malaysia's 6P Program (a registration and amnesty program) ended on or about 10/1/2013 - but alas we still hear of such registration exercises conducted by private entities, apparently with the approval of the police, immigration, etc.. In all likelihood, these are 'scams' - but migrant workers very easily can be deceived into believing that they have not become documented migrant workers - free from the possibility of arrest, detention, whipping, etc..

35,000 foreigners whipped since 2005

Patrick Lee | November 1, 2012 

 

Most of them were punished for violating the Immigration Act, most likely entering Malaysia without valid entry permits.

KUALA LUMPUR: As many as 35,000 foreigners have been whipped by Malaysian law enforcement agents in local prisons from 2005 to Sept 10 this year.

This was revealed by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein in a parliamentary written response to PKR-Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne.

He said that according to Prisons Department records, a total of 32,664 (93.3%) foreigners have been whipped after they were found guilty under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The rest – 2,336 foreign prisoners (6.7%) – he added, were found guilty under the Penal Code, Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983.

Hishammuddin added that the whipping of foreign offenders under the Immigration Act was a measure enforced only from 2005 onwards.

Section 6(1) of the Act states that foreigners cannot enter the country unless they have valid entry permits or passes, endorsements or exemptions.

Those that run afoul of this can face either a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or a jail term of not more than five years or both, and are liable to a whipping of not more than six strokes.

Hishammuddin’s answer did not explain where most of those whipped came from.

Meanwhile, a parliamentary written response by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz showed that RM85.7 million had been spent by the Federal Special Task Force (FSTF) in nabbing illegals found in Sabah since 1990.

Responding to a query by Independent-Tuaran MP Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing, he said that these expenses were broken down into RM13.3 million for arrests, RM51.4 million for detention and RM21.05 million for expulsions. - FMT News, 1/11/2012, 35,000 foreigners whipped since 2005

Section 6 - Control of entry into Malaysia (IMMIGRATION ACT 1959/63 (REVISED 1975)

(1) No person other than a citizen shall enter Malaysia unless -

(a) he is in possession of a valid Entry Permit lawfully issued to him under section 10;

(b) his name is endorsed upon a valid Entry Permit in accordance with section 12, and he is in the company of the holder of the Permit;

(c) he is in possession of a valid Pass lawfully issued to him to enter Malaysia; or

(d) he is exempted from this section by an order made under section 55.

(2) (Repealed).
(3) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both, and shall also be liable to whipping of not more than six strokes.

(4) The burden of proof that a person entered Malaysia without contravening subsection (1) shall lie upon that person, and in any prosecution for an offence under subsection (1), it shall not be necessary to specify in the charge the date, time, place or manner of the entry of such person into Malaysia, or by means of travel used for such entry, and such prosecution may be held at any place in Malaysia.

Since the burden of proof is placed on the migrant,  not on the prosecution, it would be very difficult for migrants who were 'conned' by third parties to prove that they verily believed that they were documented migrants - not undocumented migrants, and/or  that they verily believed that the documents they had in their possession were valid documents.

Now, on 10/1/2013 the Government of Malaysia clearly stated that the 6P Migrant Registration & Amnesty program, which began in October 2012  was ended today(10/1/2013) - and there will be no extension.

Tempoh 6P tidak akan dilanjutkan

PUTRAJAYA 10 Jan. – Kerajaan tidak akan melanjutkan tempoh pendaftaran dan pengampunan di bawah Program Penyelesaian Menyeluruh Pekerja dan Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin (6P) yang berakhir hari ini.

Bagaimanapun, Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN), Tan Sri Mahmood Adam berkata, secara pentadbiran proses permohonan pemutihan akan diteruskan bagi Pekerja Asing Tanpa izin (PATI) yang telah berdaftar sepanjang tempoh 1 hingga 31 Ogos tahun lalu.

Jelasnya, pertimbangan itu dibuat di atas rayuan para majikan bagi melengkapkan proses pemutihan, pengeluaran dokumen yang berkaitan dan temuduga dengan agensi kawal selia.

“Oleh itu, bagi majikan yang masih belum berbuat demikian adalah dinasihatkan untuk berurusan segera sama ada di Pusat Sehenti (OSC) di Putrajaya iaitu Ibu Pejabat Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia; Ibu Pejabat Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara Malaysia atau Pejabat Pengeluar Pasport Presint 15.

“Selain, Kompleks KDN Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, Pejabat Imigresen Pelabuhan Klang, Selangor, Kompleks KDN Johor Bahru, Johor, Kompleks KDN Seberang Jaya, Pulau Pinang dan Kompleks KDN Kuantan, Pahang,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini, hari ini.

Tempoh program 6P bermula Oktober tahun lalu.

Sementara itu, Mahmood berkata, sehingga hari ini sejumlah 323,093 PATI membabitkan 21,965 majikan telah diputihkan dan diampunkan.- Utusan Online, 11/1/2013, Tempoh 6P tidak akan dilanjutkan

BUT then, there was this document addressed to undocumented migrants to come for a Briefing and Registration on 26/1/2013 - telling them that they will get copies of personal identification papers that will keep them safe from action by local authorities...

One such questionable invite to get 'legalized', which I managed to get hold is as follows - the forms the migrants who attended were asked to fill up apparently all apparently looked very official as though from the Immigration Department but I wonder - for this happens after the 6P program had ended

Wrong to protray Nepali Migrant Workers as 'Violent" - when all they do is claim their worker rights

When rights are violated, we should not be blaming workers from claiming (fighting) for their rights - but sadly the Media generally portray workers in the bad light. Peaceful protests and actions generally receive no or very little media attention - whilst when matters allegedly get 'violent'. The use of the word 'striking' , and sometimes 'rioting' rather than peaceful protest, protest or picket shows the prejudice of some media and their reporters.

Interesting is that this report talk about 2 worker actions, many of whom are unaware about..

September 2012

About 600 Nepali migrants employed in Maxter Glove Manufacturing Company in Perak of Kelang Neru near Kuala Lumpur resorted to striking in September 2012 demanding better food and accommodations. 

 August 16, 2010

"...more than 5,000 migrant workers, which also included hundreds of Nepalis employed at JCY Co Ltd, an electronics factory in the Tebrau Industrial area of Johor Bahru, protested near the workers´ quarters over reported negligence by their employer when a fellow Nepali worker died of high fever while at work. The incident took place on August 16, 2010, when the employer was alleged to have prevented him from being taken to the hospital in time..."

Muar case was a worker action where they were claiming Minimum Wages that they should have been receiving since January 2013 - Maybe the reporter should have seen what had really happened, rather than just quoting what this Korean said. 

Workers do claim their rights peacefully to their employers ...and usually do start picketing when all their demands go unanswered - in some cases, even when they do lodge complaints at Labour Departments, the employer response is to terminate... see also STOP PENALIZING WORKERS WHO WANT TO GET JUSTICE - MAXTER GLOVE SHOULD REINSTATE BURMESE MIGRANT WORKER WHO COMPLAINED TO LABOUR DEPARTMENT

Workers have always come together as workers to claim rights 

Violence by Nepali workers hurting overseas job prospects 

PRABHAKAR GHIMIRE KATHMANDU, March 29: Talking to Nepali the media earlier this week, Choon-Bok Lee, the vice president of Human Resources Development Service (HRDS) of Korea expressed his concerns about the growing number of cases of Nepali workers employed under Employment Permit System (EPS) involved in unionization with political interests.

Choon´s concerns came a day after the Nepali media was flooded with news about a clash between two groups of Nepalis involving local gangs in the southern Malaysian city Johor Bahru that left three Nepalis injured on Sunday.

"Their [workers´] protests some times are not intended for their professional rights but targeted for political interests. It has created problems at a time when Nepal is one of the priority countries for South Korea to source workers," Choon, who came to Nepal to inspect the newly opened Korean language exam center in Lalitpur, said.

The Malaysian police arrested nine Nepalis suspected to have been involved in the incident and later filed cases against them at the local court.

Keeping in view the possible backlash to the event, the Nepali embassy in Kuala Lumpur had to publicly urge Nepalis in Malaysia to stay calm.

"We urge all Nepali brothers and sisters to continue their work with restraint and not to get involved in any provocative activities," the embassy said in a statement that day.

A couple of days before that, the Malaysian police had filed charges of criminal offence against 19 Nepalis for being involved in vandalism in Maur, Malaysia demanding salary hike.

Protest activities by Nepali workers go further. About 600 Nepali migrants employed in Maxter Glove Manufacturing Company in Perak of Kelang Neru near Kuala Lumpur resorted to striking in September 2012 demanding better food and accommodations. The action brought the company’s operations to a standstill for three days.

In another case of violent protest, more than 5,000 migrant workers, which also included hundreds of Nepalis employed at JCY Co Ltd, an electronics factory in the Tebrau Industrial area of Johor Bahru, protested near the workers´ quarters over reported negligence by their employer when a fellow Nepali worker died of high fever while at work. The incident took place on August 16, 2010, when the employer was alleged to have prevented him from being taken to the hospital in time.

These incidents are sufficient to show how Nepali workers are turning more violent in labor destinations in recent days.

South Korea, which had put Nepal as the best source country in 2010 for a well-managed process for sending workers, is now showing concern over some of the cases of protests and ‘unethical behavior’ shown by Nepalis against their employers.

Malaysia, which has sourced security guards exclusively from Nepal, is still the most popular destination for Nepalis. But, the recent incidents have tarnished Nepali workers’ image as loyal and disciplined.

"It is a very serious issue that the trend of Nepalis being involved in violent protests in the labor destinations putting forward demands that can be resolved through negotiation. Such acts will create a negative feeling toward Nepalis in overseas employers’ mind," Bal Bahadur Tamang, the president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) says.

Tamang says Nepali workers, who are still known for loyalty, will be tagged as strikers in recipient countries.

"We have had reports of Nepali workers turning violent even in Gulf countries where laws strictly prohibit industrial protests. Worse, incidents of clashes between Nepali groups have worried us much," says Tamang.

However, not all the cases where Nepali workers have been involved are they on the wrong side.

Exploitations by employers violating contract agreements with workers are also causes of rising industrial tension involving Nepalis in labor markets.

"We shouldn´t undermine their genuine demands. But we have to be more serious about the emerging trend of Nepalis resorting to protests defying the law of land in destination countries," Tamang adds.

Nepal has been receiving remittance worth around Rs 400 billion annually from Nepali migrants in the overseas markets, making its contribution to the economy as much as one-fourth of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Remittance, which is also the key source of foreign currency earning at a time when country´s exports are slowing, will be badly affected if labor destinations, reacting to violent acts, cut their demand for Nepali workers. 

Though strikes, industrial closure, protests, picketing and manhandling of employers by workers have become common in Nepal, such acts are not accepted by the law in most of the host countries.

With the international labor market starting to increasingly show more preference for skilled workers, the situation for Nepalis who are mainly unskilled labor is becoming tougher.

Resorting to impractical protests, workers are risking their own jobs whilst found to be spending a lot of money that they borrow from local money lenders at predatory interest rates.

They have the responsibility to financially support their dependent family members back home.

But why are they involved in such protests challenging the law of the land?

Foreign employment expert Dr Ganesh Gurung says such acts in labor markets by Nepali migrants is the products of the frequent bandas, strikes and other forms of violent protests that they experience back home in Nepal before they leave for overseas jobs.

"Most of the workers, who are working in overseas labor markets, lived through the major political movements during the last three decades besides hundreds of strikes and bandas. They are practicing what they learnt in Nepal," Gurung, who has also visited a number of places where Nepalis are working in Malaysia, says.

Gurung says that job-seekers should be given pre-departure orientation about their rights and responsibilities as worker in the foreign labor destinations to make them more disciplined and avert such incidents in the coming days.Published on 2013-03-29 08:00:05 - Republica, 29/3/2013, Violence by Nepali workers hurting overseas job prospects

Suaram questions inaction against errant employers (Malaysiakini)

Suaram questions inaction against errant employers

1:38PM Mar 18, 2013

Suaram has questioned why no action is being taken against employers for not abiding by the government's minimum wage requirement, but instead against Nepali workers who had intended to hold a demonstration over the matter.

The human rights group said there was nothing to be proud off in regards to police’s action yesterday.

R Thevarajan, of Suaram's Police, Accountability and Reform desk, claimed that police do not understand the real issue behind the proposed peaceful protest.

He claimed, in a statement today, that the workers had no choice but to show their displeasure by organising a peaceful demonstration.

What is strange, he added, is that the workers were arrested even before the actual protest took place.

“What is their offence and what is the charge against them?” he asked in the statement.

“Why should the foreign workers be arrested and why are the employers, who failed to abide by this (minimum wage) requirement, not brought to justice?”

He went on to call for the Human Resources Ministry to respond to yesterday’s detention.

He said it was not enough to merely state that implementation of the minimum wage policy, which came into effect on Jan 1, could be deferred to a later date.

Right to assemble

Thevarajan said the authorities should respect Article 10 of the federal constitution over the right of citizens to assemble peacefully and urged those picked-up by police to be released.

Police, he said, should understand the bread-and-butter issues affecting workers, regardless if they are locals or foreigners, as their rights are being exploited by the employers.

Earlier, Bernama reported that Muar police had foiled an attempt by 5,000 foreign workers from Nepal to hold a demonstration at the town centre at noon, yesterday.

They had wished to protest against their employers for allegedly failing to pay salaries according to the minimum salary scheme as decided by the government.

It was reported that based on a tip off, police moved in to prevent the group from gathering in front of a supermarket in Jalan Ali, Muar.

Muar police chief ACP Mohd Nasir Ramli had said 106 people, including the alleged masterminds, were detained for further investigations until 1pm, after which they were released.

Last week, Muar police arrested 32 Nepalese workers for creating a riot at a furniture factory as they were unhappy that their salaries had not been paid according to the minimum salary scheme.- Bernama - Malaysiakini, 18/3/2013, Suaram questions inaction against errant employers

PSM: Stop The Exploitation! Implement The Minimum Wage Now!

PSM PRESS STATEMENT: 

 19 MARCH 2013

STOP THE EXPLOITATION! 

IMPLEMENT THE MINIMUM WAGE NOW!

The PSM condemns the heavy-handedness of the government in dealing with the protest of Nepali migrant workers over non-implementation of the minimum wage in furniture manufacturing factories in Johore and a textile company in Negri Sembilan.

The demand of the affected 5000 over largely Nepali migrant workers is for the minimum wage of RM900 to be implemented as promised by the Malaysian government to the entire Malaysian workforce. All employers, except for the 635 companies that applied for and were granted a 6-month deferment, are required to implement the minimum wage ruling from January 2013.  As such what is criminal in the demand of the protesting workers?

Instead of taking to task the errant employers, the government has ganged up with them against the workers. The migrant workers have been arrested and roughed up. Yesterday over 100 workers were arrested purportedly to prevent a riot from taking place.  It’s a shame that police instead of playing their role of keeping order, have resorted to forcefully preventing the industrial action of the workers against their exploitative employers. In Nilai, the police went into the hostel with the Bosses to ask the workers to go back to work. A police report has been lodged by PSM on this incident as well s a letter to the Minister concerned.

It is shocking that the measures adopted to deal with the now-foiled Sunday rally referred to the deployment of riot police, roadblocks, and illegal assembly notices, as if dealing with a bunch of dangerous criminals. There was not a single mention of the only action needed to resolve the dispute according to Malaysian law i.e the implementation of the minimum wage law by the companies employing these workers!

The furniture industry which is said to be heavily dependent on migrant workers contributes RM7 billion to the economy. Recron Malaysia, the Negri Sembilan textile and polyester manufacturer which pays its migrant workers between RM240 and RM400 is linked to Ambani, India’s richest man. In approving additional migrant workers for the furniture industry, Malaysia’s International Trade and Industry Minister remarked that a shortage of workers could lead to companies going bankrupt thereby affecting the industry and the national economy. What then but a greed for higher profits, explains the denial of the minimum wage to these obviously ‘indispensable’ workers?

The PSM asks the Human Resources Ministry to come to the defence of  all the affected migrant workers who have been victimized for highlighting the denial of the minimum wage of RM900. The ministry should take action against the employers for violating the minimum wage ruling.

Stop the exploitation! Implement the minimum wage now!

Released by

Rani Rasiah

PSM Central Committee Member

0195638464

SUARAM condemns arrest of 100 over migrant workers and failure to act on employers who are not paring minimum wages

See earlier post, being a background to the statement which SUARAM has issued condemning the arrest of workers....and the failure to act on employers not paying workers minimum wages as required by law

Police arrest 106 migrant workers to allegedly thwart possible protest by 5,000 workers in Muar

Kenyataan Media: 18hb Mac 2013

PEKERJA DITANGKAP POLIS MANAKALA MAJIKAN DIBERI PENANGGUHAN PELAKSANAAN GAJI MINIMA

SUARAM merujuk kepada berita bertajuk “Pelaksanaan Gaji Minimum: Lebih 100 Warga Nepal Terlibat Tunjuk Perasaan Ditahan” [Sumber: MStar Online(mstar.com.my)] yang diterbitkan pada 17hb  Mac 2013 dan juga beberapa media lain.

Berita itu dengan bangganya menyatakan pihak polis telah berjaya menggagalkan cubaan lebih 5,000 pekerja Nepal mengadakan tunjuk perasaan di tengah bandar tengah hari Ahad setelah mereka mendapat maklumat awal berhubungan perkara itu. Ketua Polis Daerah Muar ACP Mohd Nasir Ramli turut memuji kecekapan pihak polis dalam menghalang protes itu.

SUARAM menegaskan bahawa tiada apa yang patut dibanggakan dengan tindakan polis malah sebenarnya ini menunjukkan pihak polis gagal memahami isu sebenar protes tersebut malah pihak polis telah mencabuli hak asasi pekerja-pekerja ini untuk bebas berhimpun secara aman. Isu pokok ialah majikan gagal laksanakan gaji minima. Golongan pekerja yang terdiri daripada warga Nepal ini, tiada pilihan lain selain daripada menunjukkan ketidakpuasan mereka melalui menganjurkan himpunan aman. Peliknya, semua ditahan sebelum protes berlaku. Apakah kesalahan dan pertuduhan ke atas mereka?

Bukankah tindakan majikan yang tidak mematuhi akta yang telah digubal satu kesalahan? Kenapa patut pekerja luar negara  ini ditahan? Kenapa pula majikan yang tidak mematuhi undang-undang tersebut tidak dibawa ke muka pengadilan? Apakah Kementerian Sumber Manusia tiada komen ke atas penangkapan pekerja-pekerja  Nepal ini? Tidak memadai hanya menyatakan bahawa pelaksanaan gaji minima ditangguhkan ke satu tempoh lain kerana majikan tidak berupaya membayar gaji pekerja luar negara.

SUARAM menggesa pihak polis untuk menghormati Perkara 10 dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia iaitu kebebasan berhimpun, bercakap dan berpersatuan. Setiap individu harus diberi kebebasan dan hak mereka untuk berprotes secara aman bagi menyuarakan pendapat untuk kepentingan bersama. SUARAM menggesa pihak polis supaya segera melepaskan pekerja-pekerja  luar negara yang ditangkap secara ‘random’ yang kononnya tidak mempunyai dokumen sah semasa operasi polis Ahad lepas.

PDRM harus memahami isu periuk nasi kaum pekerja tidak kira tempatan mahupun luar negara. Pekerja Nepal datang ke Malaysia untuk tujuan sara hidup tetapi dieksploitasi oleh golongan majikan bagi tujuan keuntungan kerana mereka umpama buruh murah untuk majikan. Sekiranya polis tidak memahami fakta ini, maka negara hanya akan mempunyai pihak berkuasa yang pandai ikut arahan atasan tanpa sebarang sifat kemanusiaan dalam diri mereka.

SUARAM memahami tanggungjawab pihak polis dalam melaksanakan sebarang arahan yang diberikan. Tetapi pengetahuan asas hak asasi patut difahami dahulu sebelum melaksanakan tugas atas arahan secara membuta tuli.

Diterbitkan oleh,

Thevarajan R

Police Accountability and Reform Desk

--
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
433A, Jalan 5/46, Gasing Indah,
46000, Petaling Jaya,
Selangor
Malaysia
Tel: +603 77843525
Fax: +603 77843526
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suararakyatmalaysia
Twitter: SUARAMtweets

Migrant workers being threaten to be sent back when questioning the employers’ action on them

MTUC wants government to handle the employment of foreign workers

February 19, 2013

 

SUBANG JAYA, Feb 19 – The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) wants the employment of foreign workers including maids to be done by the government to ensure the workers are well treated.

Its president Khalid Atan said their employment through agents and outsourcing agencies who acted as a middlemen should be stopped since it has been causing problems and also tarnishing the country’s image when the workers are not properly looked after.

“If employers wish to hire a foreign worker, they should go deal with the government. The middleman is taking profit on each person they bring in, some up to RM2,000 or more per person.

“But sometimes these workers rights are neglected, some even have their working permits terminated drastically causing them being caught or being charged for entering this country illegally,” he told in a press conference here, today.

Khalid also said that some of the foreign workers are not paid for the work they do, or being forced to work for long hours – usually for 14 to 16 hours per day – or being threaten to be sent back when questioning the employers’ action on them.

On the levy issue, Khalid said MTUC was firm by its stand that foreign workers should not be burdened by the levy, transportation and accommodation fees.

“The employers should pay for it. The payment is to be made by the foreign workers with the enforcement of the RM900 minimum salary. But if the workers have to deduct RM150 for levy and another RM200 (transportation and accommodation) how much will be left for them?” he asked.

On Jan 30, the Cabinet decided that foreign workers should pay the levy amounting between RM34.15 and RM154.16 per month instead of the employers.  – Bernama - Malaysian Insider, 19/2/2013, MTUC wants government to handle the employment of foreign workers

see also:- 

82 Groups - MINIMUM WAGES FOR ALL WORKERS, INCLUDING MIGRANT WORKERS - No to Wage Deduction to recover Levy Payable By Employers -