Thailand and Malaysia have traded accusations over the incident involving 131 Thai Muslims who fled across the border to Malaysia. Thailand demanded that the Thai Muslims return to the country, while Malaysia felt duty bound to protect fellow Muslims who claimed that they feared for their lives in their homeland. Analysts noted that Kuala Lumpur strongly disagrees with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin’s military strategy in predominantly Muslim south Thailand. The rift between the two countries has allegedly widened following Bangkok’s claim that Thai Muslim separatists met in Malaysia to plan attacks on its territory, putting Kuala Lumpur in a bad light.
Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr. Fong Chan Onn vowed to investigate Malaysian Trades Union Congress’ (MTUC) allegations that the government’s foreign worker policy is unclear. According to MTUC, the lack of policies on outsourcing of foreign workers is evident in the number of cases of foreign workers being recruited by local businesses but made to work for other employers. Such a situation renders the migrant workers open to abuse but enables the official employer to evade his responsibility to protect the workers’ welfare.
According to the MTUC, the recruitment of foreign workers should be undertaken directly by the government and not coursed through middlemen or agents, even licensed employment agencies. MTUC secretary-general G. Rajasekaran said that agents make about RM3,000 in profit per foreign domestic worker they recruit, out of money charged to employers and the first three or four months’ wages of the worker. The government had earlier put a RM2,500-cap on the fees that agents can charge, but many appear to violate the regulation. Rajasekaran regrets that the foreign workers have to give up a large portion of their salary to middlemen; hence, he is proposing that the Labor Department, in cooperation with foreign embassies, be responsible for recruiting them.
Malaysia is planning to amend its laws to prevent abuses of migrant workers. Amendments being considered include requiring local employers to submit periodic reports on the condition of their foreign workers, including such as information salaries, benefits and working environment. The move is intended to help the human resources ministry monitor the working conditions of migrant workers, particularly those employed in the construction and service industries. The ministry plans to conduct random checks at work sites to confirm the veracity of the reports submitted by employers. Meanwhile, the Malaysian Employers Federation expressed its opposition to the proposed move, saying it would entail additional administrative costs and inconvenience. The federation recommended instead the setting up of a one-stop office to deal with all matters relating to alien workers.
International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) president Datin Seri Saraswathy Devi called for stiffer penalties to be imposed on those involved in the global trafficking of women and children for prostitution or forced labor. According to the FIDA president, the law must also guarantee the protection of victims and witnesses. Saraswathy made the statement as she addressed the recent 32nd International FIDA Convention. She also mentioned the proposal of the Coalition against Trafficking of Women to decriminalize women in prostitution and instead focus on prosecuting men who buy their services and those who promote their sexual exploitation, like the pimps, procurers and traffickers.
According to General Operation Force commanding officer Supt Ariffin Ibrahim, the problem regarding the entry of irregular migrants to Sabah will persist as long as neighboring countries are experiencing economic, social and political upheavals. Peace and order problems and ongoing violence force some people to flee from their country and Sabah, being near, is a perfect destination. Some irregular migrants may also be lured by the relative economic stability and security in Sabah, while others may have relatives already living in the country whom they may rely on. Despite the strict security measures along Sabah’s borders, a number of irregular migrants manage to enter Eastern Malaysia through Tawau, Sandakan and Kudat.
The Immigration Department has ordered government hospitals and private clinics to report all cases of foreign workers seeking pregnancy-related examinations or services. The timely information would allow the department to trace the migrant worker’s whereabouts and take steps to revoke her visa. This is in response to the Consumer Association of Sabah’s (CASH) demand to deport pregnant foreign workers. State Immigration Director Baharom Talib explained that among the conditions for the employment of foreign worker is that they should not be allowed to get pregnant and give birth in the state.
More than 100 clinics have been suspended by Fomema since the start of this year for not following standard operating procedures, including failing to maintain a proper record of medical examinations, operating X-ray machines without a license, submitting the same X-ray for more than one worker, and failing to keep any records of collected specimens. Fomema is an independent agency responsible for monitoring and coordinating the medical examinations of foreign workers. The suspension of errant clinics on its panel is part of the agency’s efforts to curb irregularities in the conduct of medical examinations on foreign workers. The Health Ministry has given its support to Fomema’s move and encouraged the agency to report irregularities to the Malaysian Medical Association for appropriate action against the concerned clinics.
According to domestic worker agencies, there are some Malaysian employers who request to know the potential worker’s date of birth to ensure that it matches with theirs. Apparently, these employers believe that a match would ensure that they would get along with their employee. Some employers have also resorted to taking the photograph of their prospective domestic worker to the Goddess of Mercy Temple intending to seek divine guidance. However, these picky employers are in the minority, according to an agency operator. He said most of his clients choose domestic workers based on their photos, some basic information about them and recommendations from the agency.
Migrant workers, employer, recruiter in work permit case
The Immigration Department has fined 39 Indian migrant workers RM500 each and detained them at the department depot in Semenyih for allegedly misusing their work permits. Officers from the department are, however, recording statements from the workers prior to their deportation to firm up the case against their employer, Technicast Sdn Bhd. The company, which operates a metal mold factory in Sham Alam, is accused of hiring the Indian migrant workers whose permits were for another company and for harboring them at its premises. The Immigration Department also plans to file charges against the recruitment agents, in response to calls from Tenaganita, a woman’s and migrant workers’ rights organization, to prosecute both the employer and agents in the case.
Chaos broke out at the Rumah Merah immigration detention center in Menggatal after detainees angry over their prolonged detention chased two immigration officers. The officers had entered the center to make arrangements for the deportation of the detainees, made up mostly of Indonesian and Filipino nationals. The two officers were slightly injured in the incident, which was put under control when prison authorities stepped in to bring the detainees back to their holding rooms.
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho was quoted as saying that over 6,000 women have so far registered their marriage to Malaysian men. He attributes this choice of Chinese wives to the similarity in the language and cultural background these women share with many of the locals.
Two Vietnamese women, Thi Kim Huyen, 26, and Duong My Tham, 21, were shocked to find out that instead of being employed as tailors as they expected, their agent had brought them to Malaysia as mail-order brides. The two women claimed that they were with a group of nine women from Vietnam who had come to Malaysia to work. They managed to escape from their ordeal when Thi’s prospective husband gave her RM200, which the two used for taxi fare to reach Kuala Lumpur. There, they were taken to the Public Service and Complaints Department of the Malaysian Chinese Association, which contacted their agent and facilitated the release of their passports and air tickets.
Taiwanese tourists lose passports, return tickets
Nine female Taiwanese tourists, aged between 20 and 30, filed a report with the Dang Wangi police in Kuala Lumpur after losing their passports and return tickets to a Taiwanese man who allegedly brought them to Malaysia for a vacation in Genting Highlands. The man, known only as Jimmy, had allegedly booked the women at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Kuala Lumpur after leaving Genting Highlands. Thereafter, they have been unable to contact Jimmy on his mobile phone. The Immigration Department has since contacted Taiwanese authorities to trace Jimmy’s whereabouts. They are not discounting the possibility that the man may be involved in a criminal syndicate that forged international passports.
The Consumer Association of Sabah (CASH) has reportedly received at least seven complaints from local husbands claiming that good-looking Filipino dance instructors had seduced their wives or were responsible for breaking up their marriage. The dance instructors have been accused of taking advantage of lonely and rich housewives, by demanding expensive gifts or money or even blackmailing the women if their demands are not met. According to CASH, several dance instructors are able to extend their visas by temporarily exiting to Brunei and then returning to the state as regular tourists. Sabah Immigration Department said it was carefully monitoring dance schools and issues employment permits only to foreign dance instructors who meet all the requirements.
The Shahbandar Jetty in Malacca was again filled with thousands of Indonesians working in Malaysia who wanted to go home for the Hari Raya festivities. As of 3 November, some 7,500
Indonesian migrant workers have left the country by boat to rejoin their families for the coming holidays. The state Immigration Department said that ferries were making five trips per day and extra boats have been readied to accommodate additional passengers who may turn up at the last minute. The department has also increased its counters, from five to nine, to facilitate the exit of large numbers of people.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr. Fong Chan Onn is seeking ways to prevent unemployed graduates of the government’s retraining program and those who undertook skills training in the country’s 21 training centers from being recruited by Singapore. According to the minister, a number of graduates and trainees are being attracted by the higher wages and additional benefits offered in Singapore. Hence, the minister is considering to compel graduates and trainees to stay and work in the country by imposing a bond for two to three years.
Health Minister Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Lek expressed concern that a number of Malaysians currently studying medicine in Ireland may choose not to return to practice in Malaysia. The minister had just come back from a visit to the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and the University College Ireland where he met with some 500 Malaysian students. Dr. Chua found that about 100 Malaysians who have completed their basic medical degrees have stayed on to work in Ireland. The minister said he was disappointed that these doctors have chosen not to practice in Malaysia.
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