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?
Lukman, who represented the workers, told a press conference that the company,
Sri Mega Jaya Sdn Bhd, still owed them money.
<p>He said they received some RM93,000 so far and Sri Mega still owed them RM154,000.
</p>
<p>When asked if he was the sub-contractor in question, Lukman, 29, said he was
not and that he was the supervisor. </p>
<p>Last Thursday, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said Sri Mega
had paid the workers wages through sub-contractors. </p>
<p>He said the subcontractor for Sri Mega, who was an illegal immigrant, had absconded
with the money. </p>
<p>The findings were submitted to the Indonesian embassy. </p>
<p>On Sunday, the Indonesian Labour Minister Fahmi Idris said that his government
would drop plans to sue Malaysian employers who allegedly did not pay their
Indonesian workers. </p>
<p>When contacted, Sri Mega managing director P. Dhaayabaran said the company
had paid the workers RM97,000. </p>
<p>"We have issued over 20 payment vouchers amounting to RM97,000 under Lukman’s
name on behalf of the Indonesian workers," he said. </p>
<p>"We actually overpaid them because there were defects on the site and
we had to hire skilled local workers to fix the Indonesians’ shoddy work."
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