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?
Companies are spending more to re-train and replace injured workers, while the rising dependence on foreign labour is also a cause for concern.
<P>Socso medical and rehabilitation
department general manager Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed sounded these warnings
at a Return-To-Work seminar, organised by the Social Security Organisation, yesterday.</P><P>Every
year, about 5,000 Socso contributors take medical leave for more than 100 days,
he said. And, since 1996, more than 50,000 workers have taken long-term medical
leave.</P><P>One case was of a 43-year- old field worker who has been claiming
RM1,300 a month temporary disablement benefit from Socso over eight years for
back pain. He refused to apply for permanent benefits as he was being paid both
by Socso and his employer.</P><P>Workers are entitled to the temporary disablement
benefit after more than four days medical leave. Socso pays them 80 per cent of
their daily wage.</P><P>"Eighty per cent of the money contributed to Socso
has been paid out as temporary disablement benefit, permanent disablement benefit
and invalidity pension," said Dr Azman. He added that in the past decade
there had been a steady increase in the number of applications for benefits.</P><P>"It
is for these reasons that we decided to implement the Return-To-Work (RTW) programme,"
he said.</P><P>He was presenting a paper, Socso: Future Direction in Enhancement
of Benefits, at the seminar.</P><P>Under RTW, the condition of injured workers
is assessed. They are then sent for free rehabilitation so they can return to
work. If they can’t go back to their old jobs, they are retrained.</P>
<P><I>Source:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Wednesday/National/20070117080911/Article/local1_html</I>
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