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?
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said workers from countries
like Vietnam, Thailand, China and Myanmar would be considered to meet the shortage
caused by the return of illegal workers to Indonesia, and ease the burden of
local employers.
<p>"This is part of our back-up plan in case these Indonesian illegal workers
decide not to return, as we are facing a shortage of workers especially in the
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), plantations, factories and farms. </p>
<p>"We have received many complaints including those from vegetable farmers
in Cameron Highlands and food operators in Sunway Pyramid who have had to close
down when their workers went home. </p>
<p>"But the process of legalisation must go on and we require them to go
back to their home country to get their proper documents," he said after
launching the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) "Return to Work"
rehabilitation programme for those with back and cervical injuries here yesterday.
</p>
<p>Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had said recently that Malaysia
needed about 1.5 million workers. </p>
<p>Authorities estimate that there are currently about one million legal foreign
workers here while another 800,000, mostly Indonesians, had been working illegally
in plantations, construction sites, factories, restaurants and as domestic maids.
</p>
<p>Under Ops Tegas, some 400,000 illegal workers were expected to leave the country
by yesterday or risk being thrown into jail and whipped for staying in the country
illegally. The same number of illegals had left the country by the end of January
under the initial amnesty deadline. </p>
<p>Dr Fong said Malaysia had an agreement with Indonesia under which the legalisation
process for illegal immigrants would be done within two days. </p>
<p>On Indonesia’s Manpower and Transmigration Minister Fahmi Idris’ statement
that the workers were charged 2.99 million rupiah (RM1,220) for services relating
to their legalisation process, Dr Fong said: "On our part, we require nothing
from the illegals, but we can’t interfere if the Indonesian Government wants
to charge fees for the process."
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