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?
Acting Labour Counsellor with the Bangladeshi High Commission Rashedul Hassan
said his government did not view the recruitment of 100,000 Pakistanis by the
Malaysian Government as "competition" for jobs.
<p>"It’s part of the Malaysian Government’s policy that workers from different
countries work side by side. Some of the Bangladeshis, who were here illegally,
had taken advantage of Malaysia’s amnesty programme to go home.</p>
<p>"But they will definitely return," he said when contacted here yesterday.</p>
<p>Rashedul was asked to comment on Malaysia’s intention to recruit some 100,000
Pakistani workers to meet the shortage of 400,000 workers in the country.</p>
<p>The labour shortage had come about following the slow trickle of Indonesian
workers back into the country after the amnesty ended on Feb 28.</p>
<p>Asked why Bangladesh had been slow in approving the applications of its nationals
wanting to work here, Rashedul said his government was doing its best to process
them.</p>
<p>"Our workers are coming here shortly," he said, adding that the country
hoped Malaysia would consider taking in more workers from Bangladesh.</p>
<p>Counsellor for Labour and Welfare with the Sri Lanka High Commission B. Vijaradna
said his government would ensure that all of its nationals coming here fulfilled
"strict immigration requirements".</p>
<p>First Secretary of Information with the Indonesian Embassy Ekasuritto said
his country respected Malaysia’s decision to recruit the Pakistani workers.</p>
<p>"It is Malaysia’s right. It has to do all it can to resolve the labour
shortage here," he said, adding that Indonesia had also sped up the legalisation
process of its workers in the 11 one-stop centres in the country.
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