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?
BY FARIK ZOLKEPLI AND MOHD FARHAAN SHAH
JOHOR BARU: A two-day protest by more than 5,000 foreigners at a factory workers’ enclave, in Tebrau Industrial area here, turned violent Monday when a guard post was destroyed and stones and rubbish were hurled at bystanders.
The protesters, comprising workers mainly from Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, even used fire extinguishers against bystanders and chased down a vehicle ferrying two health inspectors.
It is learnt a member of the public suffered a minor cut on his head after being hit by a stone thrown by the protestors.
The foreigners had, on Sunday, protested against the management of a factory, following the death of a Nepali worker.
On Monday, they demanded higher wages from the management and a mini-clinic to be built in the compound.
More than 200 policemen were deployed and managed to keep the situation under control, preventing any spillover.
Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob said the protestors dispersed about 5.50pm.
He added that the workers’ representative would meet their agents as well as the factory’s management on Tuesday to discuss problems faced by the workers.
Source: The Star
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