Malaysia to resume recruitment of stranded Bangladeshi workers, vows to protect them from abuse, fraud
PETALING JAYA, Selangor: Bangladeshi workers barred from entering Malaysia for employment before a deadline kicked in almost a year ago will soon be able to do so, according to its Home Affairs Minister.
On Thursday (May 15), Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also reaffirmed Putrajaya's commitment to protect them from 'exploitation and employment fraud'.
Malaysia had barred the entry of Bangladeshi workers since May 31 last year after tens of thousands of them reportedly became victims of an extensive labour scam in the country that saw them paying up to US$5,000 upfront for jobs that did not exist, forcing them to work illegally to pay debts.
The latest developments were announced following meetings on Thursday (May 15) between Adviser to Bangladesh's Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Asif Nazrul and Saifuddin as well as Human Resources Minister Steven Sim in Kuala Lumpur.
'This meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on issues concerning the management of foreign workers from Bangladesh, which involve several policy and operational matters, including the government's key commitment to reduce migration cost,' Saifuddin wrote on Facebook on Thursday.
Following the meetings, the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur confirmed that Malaysia has agreed to recruit 7,964 workers from among more than 17,000 who were stranded after failing to enter the country before the May 31 deadline last year, 'despite fulfilling all conditions and paying (the) full migration cost'.
The commission said in a Facebook post on Thursday that these workers would be 'in the first batch as proposed by Bangladesh and the recruitment process of those workers will be handled by (the) Bangladesh Overseas Employment Services Limited'.
Some of these workers reportedly with approved work visas were unable to get on flights before the deadline last year and the Bangladeshi government has urged the Malaysian government to allow them to enter the country since last year.
A meeting was previously held between the Bangladesh High Commission to Malaysia and Saifuddin in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 5 last year to address the prolonged delay in the migration process of the workers, local media reported.
A joint technical group, comprising representatives from the Malaysian Immigration Department and the commission, was subsequently established and held two meetings, on Dec 31 last year and Jan 14 this year.
During the joint technical group meetings, the list of over 17,000 workers was thoroughly reviewed and verified with Malaysian stakeholders, resulting in the selection of the 7,964 workers for immediate entry in the first phase, Mohammad Rafiqul Alam - a spokesperson from the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs - told Malay Mail earlier in January.
While these workers have been deemed eligible for immediate travel to Malaysia, it is unclear when they will officially start working.
During the meeting on Thursday between Sim, the Human Resources Minister and Asif, both nations also agreed to strengthen their coordination through the joint working group which will reconvene in Dhaka next week from May 21 to address technical matters related to labour management, Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported.
'This visit (on Thursday) signals a shared resolve by Malaysia and Bangladesh to build a cross-border labour system grounded in integrity, human rights and fairness,' the human resources ministry said on Thursday, as quoted by FMT.
The Bangladeshi delegation had also requested multiple-entry visas for their workers.
'The Malaysian government informed (us) that they are currently working on a proposal to revisit the provision of single-entry visas for Bangladeshi workers. Hopefully, very soon the Bangladeshi workers will be granted multiple entry visas,' the Bangladesh High Commission wrote on Thursday.
At Thursday's meeting, Saifuddin also conveyed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's appreciation to the Bangladeshi government for its continued support in efforts to streamline the management of foreign workers in Malaysia.
Malaysia is host to more than 400,000 documented Bangladesh workers and several thousands more who enter the country illegally, and they make up one of the largest country proportions of foreign workers in the world, which collectively account for roughly 30 per cent of the national workforce that is estimated at 17 million people.
'UNSUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS' OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, MONEY LAUNDERING
Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi government has also confirmed that Malaysia was not involved in any misconduct concerning the recruitment or treatment of its workers, following reports that Putrajaya had asked Bangladesh to review and withdraw 'unsubstantiated allegations' of wrongdoing in labour migration between the two countries.
Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the move was meant to improve Malaysia's rating in the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report by the United States State Department.
'Allegations of human trafficking and money laundering - largely unsubstantiated - have impacted Malaysia's reputation,' the secretary-general of the human resources ministry, Azman Yusof, wrote in a letter dated Apr 23, which was reviewed by Bloomberg.
In its statement on Thursday, the Human Resources Ministry thanked Bangladesh for recognising Malaysia's efforts to reform the foreign worker recruitment system and crack down on abuse, following the courtesy call by Asif, the Bangladeshi official who was also accompanied by the special envoy for international affairs Lutfey Siddiqi.
'The Bangladeshi side confirmed that Malaysia was not involved in any of the previously raised allegations and voiced its support for our principled and firm stance against human trafficking,' the statement wrote, as quoted by FMT.
During the meeting between Sim and the Bangladeshi delegation, Sim also stressed that foreign worker recruitment should be driven by genuine industry needs and not for profit.
FMT reported that for more than a decade, the US has said that Malaysia does not meet standards under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, adding that Putrajaya is not making significant and sufficient efforts to rectify the issue.
A low TIP ranking would mean that a country can be restricted from accessing foreign assistance funding from the US or possibly face resistance by US representatives at the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral institutions for access to loans.
In October last year, Bangladeshi authorities had asked the Malaysian government to arrest and extradite two businessmen as part of a probe into alleged money laundering, extortion and trafficking of migrant workers.
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CNA
7 hours ago
- CNA
1 minister's defection, 2 unhappy political parties: Trouble brewing in Malaysia's ruling coalition?
KUALA LUMPUR: The looming defection of a Malaysian minister from a key coalition partner of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to his own party has put the premier in a bind, as he seeks to balance unhappiness from both sides, analysts said. They added that the expected move of Anwar's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to admit Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz as a member has to be managed carefully or it could undermine the ruling coalition. Tengku Zafrul had announced on May 30 that he had resigned from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) to join PKR. The minister is seen as someone who has roped in significant sums of investment for Malaysia and raised the country's profile on the international stage, a key priority of the Anwar administration. Fearful of losing Tengku Zafrul's critical contributions as a minister in a key portfolio, Anwar must now shoehorn him into a politically viable position in PKR, the analysts told CNA, even as such a move was criticised by several UMNO leaders including its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said on Jun 2 it was "unethical" for parties within the unity government to accept a member from an ally. The grumblings extended to Anwar's own PKR, with party members questioning the timing of Tengku Zafrul's announcement, party insiders told CNA on the condition of anonymity. Tengku Zafrul's statement came two days after the high-profile resignations of two PKR ministers, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli and Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, following their defeat in internal leadership polls. PKR members fear the admission of Tengku Zafrul could sideline the party's rank and file for top positions both within and outside in the state or federal governments, and erode the trust other unity government partners have in PKR, the well-placed party insiders said. On UMNO's part, Ahmad Zahid said he hopes his party will be given a ministerial post following Tengku Zafrul's departure, to ensure UMNO's "quota" of seven ministers remains intact. While it "should not be a problem" for Anwar to meet UMNO's demands, the larger issue is whether PKR should even accept Tengku Zafrul as a member in the first place, said political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian of University Sains Malaysia (USM). "The bigger question is whether this should be a precedent or practice. If it happens now, what happens if someone from PKR moves to UMNO?" he told CNA. "I think they should draw the line from now onwards, if they want to strengthen the unity government and move as a grand coalition for the next election (due by February 2028)." PKR SET TO ADMIT TENGKU ZAFRUL PKR would eventually accept Tengku Zafrul as Anwar saw him as someone who had secured hundreds of billions of ringgit in investment for Malaysia, said Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at USM. Anwar therefore does not want Tengku Zafrul to be thrown into the "political wilderness", given the latter's weak grassroots support in UMNO and the looming end of his term as senator in December, Ahmad Fauzi told CNA. A minister must be an elected member of parliament (MP) in the lower house or an appointed senator in the upper house. Tengku Zafrul is nearing the end of his term as the latter as a senator can serve a maximum of two terms. While Tengku Zafrul was UMNO's Kota Raja division chief and a supreme council member, analysts believe he is unpopular with party members on the ground. 'If Zafrul were to continue in his portfolio as investment, trade and industry minister beyond December, he would first need to contest and win a by-election,' Ahmad Fauzi said. "So, it's not surprising that Anwar wants to retain him, at least in the upper echelons of Malaysian politics. If it's at the federal level, a PKR MP will probably have to resign.' Sivamurugan, however, said PKR should not think of deliberately vacating a seat, as this would take away the mandate given to that MP and infuriate constituents who might experience election "fatigue". "With Zafrul's experience and also how he has positioned himself, it is better if the Prime Minister can park him in his office as an economic advisor on international trade with the status of a minister," he said. "That I think will ease the tension between both parties at this point, rather than going for another by-election.' WHAT DOES UMNO WANT? If Tengku Zafrul stays on in his current ministerial portfolio, USM's Ahmad Fauzi feels UMNO could be given the vacant economy minister role, noting that UMNO's Johari Abdul Ghani has been touted as a possible candidate. The current plantation and commodities minister has brushed off concerns that Tengku Zafrul's resignation from his party would affect ties between UMNO and PKR in the unity government. Analysts said Anwar would want to preserve a harmonious relationship between component parties in the ruling pact. "He will also want UMNO votes later in the 16th general election, for UMNO voters to vote for PH as well, if the union lasts," Ahmad Fauzi said, referring to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) ruling coalition comprising PKR and other parties. "If PH and BN (Barisan Nasional coalition led by UMNO) go on to contest the election as one coalition, he will fear that any grudge on the part of UMNO will end up in UMNO voters shying away from voting for PH, and that might damage PH,' he added. 'It might even deliver votes to PN, and they could win by default.' The unity government comprises PH, BN, as well as other East Malaysian coalitions. In opposition is the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, comprising Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Islamist party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) among others. But geostrategist Azmi Hassan from the Nusantara Academy said UMNO is not interested in the economy or environment portfolios, because these come under PKR's allocation. "What UMNO wants is the international trade portfolio. So I guess that's what makes a lot of people in UMNO unsatisfied with this particular move,' he told CNA. 'Because of the minister post, not because of the move of Tengku Zafrul as an individual member.' INTERNAL GRUMBLINGS IN PKR A PKR insider said UMNO had "every right" to question if Tengku Zafrul's ministerial portfolio will be handed back, noting that the defection touched on the "very sensitive" issue of UMNO's ministerial allocation. "That raises a bit more questions on the timing of the matter again, like we are going into Sabah state polls, with all these questions being raised,' he said. 'And looking at public feedback on the party itself, it hasn't been very positive over the past few weeks. So the question needs to be raised on why these moves are being organised now.' Analysts previously told CNA that Rafizi's defeat in his bid to be re-elected as PKR deputy president could heighten divisions between party factions. Rafizi has since resigned, citing the lack of an internal mandate, while his reported ally Nik Nazmi followed suit after failing to defend his post as PKR vice-president. The election of Nurul Izzah as the party's second-in-command also triggered public accusations of nepotism, claims she has consistently rejected as she has insisted her positions were earned on her own merits through elections. "We are already losing two ministers, very highly competent ministers, and now we're making more political moves which are not being well received,' the PKR insider said, noting that all the indications so far show Tengku Zafrul's application will not be rejected. 'The party members are for sure going to be a bit more disgruntled afterwards.' Another PKR grassroots leader told CNA that the party leadership needs to exercise 'extreme caution' regarding Tengku Zafrul's admission. 'Even though there are no hard rules on this matter, the party must be careful about accepting members from unity government members,' he said, calling for Tengku Zafrul to be thoroughly 'screened'. 'It's a sensitive balance within Madani component parties. Bringing in high-profile individuals with UMNO or opposition-linked backgrounds directly into PKR will only deepen unease among the base.' PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh said on May 31 that the party will consider input from grassroots members and unity government partners when evaluating any membership application, although she noted then that the party had not received any official application from Tengku Zafrul. The other PKR insider said Tengku Zafrul's move and the impending end to his senatorial tenure had created a "messy situation" in the party, repeating that the timing was "questionable". "It raises the question of, 'Why now?' Is it on the back of what's going on with the party election and so on? And is there a move now to kind of divert the attention away from whatever happened?" he asked. Sivamurugan from USM agreed that the timing of the move could be perceived as trying to divert the attention from the resignations of Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, saying that not everyone in PKR would welcome Tengku Zafrul. "Because they know, once he's there, it's a threat to them as well, because he's accepted well by Anwar, the president,' he said. 'He has easy access to Anwar, the opportunities are more open for him. So of course, this will affect those who have been working very hard within the party till now. PH-BN partnership for GE16 not a given Ultimately, analysts believe Anwar and Ahmad Zahid share a special, mentor-mentee relationship that will allow them to resolve the issue amicably. Tengku Zafrul's move will not have an impact on the PH-BN partnership at the Sabah state election that is due by December, as the issues there are much more localised, the observers said. Azmi from the Nusantara Academy said Tengku Zafrul's current portfolio should be returned to UMNO once his term as senator ends in December. 'I think if that happens, then all will be okay with the PH and BN partnership," he told CNA. "Preferably it should be done before the upcoming Sabah state election, and more so I think before GE16." But this does not mean PH and BN will definitely work together at GE16, USM's Ahmad Fauzi said, adding that Anwar will ultimately decide to partner a party that can get him the Malay vote. "Looking at what has happened in PKR in the recent weeks, public trust in PKR as a reformist party has very much plunged,' he said, noting that Anwar will have to convince fence-sitters who only voted for PH because they hated the UMNO government or corruption. If by the time GE16 is due and Anwar does not enjoy Malay support, he could try to entice the Islamist opposition party PAS to team up, Ahmad Fauzi added. 'There are rumours that there have been behind-the-scenes negotiations (between Anwar and PAS) and so on. But we don't know how that will materialise in the real world.' CAN TENGKU ZAFRUL SUCCEED ANWAR IN PKR? In the longer term, Ahmad Fauzi did not rule out Tengku Zafrul succeeding Anwar as PKR's leader, noting that the minister is still considered relatively young in Malaysian politics at 51 years old. "Give him time. If he really asserts his role and plays well with the PKR political grassroots, that's not impossible, but he has to really work hard from now to, say, 10 years," he said. Sivamurugan said it is too early to tell as Tengku Zafrul has his work cut out for him. "He has to be a member, then hold positions at the division level first. That may take another five or 10 years, and we know at this point after the (PKR internal) election, Izzah is seen as the successor, and Anwar will not be able to contest (the PKR presidency) anymore," he said. "There are other young leaders also eyeing the top position as well, and we may see Rafizi coming back again within three or four years.' The fact that Tengku Zafrul contested and lost in the Kuala Selangor seat at the last general election in 2022 shows he does not have strong grassroots support, Sivamurugan said. "Maybe if he wants to be very active in politics after this, he should focus on how to climb up the ladder within PKR, if he believes that the acceptance level is different from UMNO." Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, a partner at strategic advisory firm ADA Southeast Asia, cautioned that Tengku Zafrul could end up like Zaid Ibrahim, a former law minister under UMNO in 2008 who left the party for PKR a year later. Zaid contested the Hulu Selangor by-election in 2010, but lost to a BN candidate. He quit PKR later that year after pulling out of a race for the party's deputy president post, citing "various issues of manipulation and unfair electoral practices". "Zafrul will need to prove himself to the party members by winning a state or federal seat before he is even considered a potential candidate to succeed Anwar as party president," Asrul Hadi said.
Independent Singapore
8 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Immunity split: Why Anwar faces trial while Trump is shielded
The United States is classified as 'free' and Malaysia as 'partly free' in Freedom House's Freedom in the World 2024 report. However, US President Donald Trump enjoys more unbridled power than Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Mr Anwar's plea for immunity while in office has been rejected by the Malaysian High Court. He is accused of sexual assault by his former research assistant Muhammed Yusoff Rawther in 2018, four years before he became prime minister. Trial is due to start on June 16. The High Court dismissed Mr Anwar's application to refer eight constitutional questions to the Federal Court. High Court Judge Roz Mawar Rozain said the federal constitution does not provide immunity for prime ministers. She also ordered Mr Anwar to pay RM20,000 in costs to Mr Yusoff. Mr Anwar's lawyer, Alan Wong, said they would appeal the court's decision. Mr Anwar wanted the Federal Court to determine whether allowing the lawsuit to proceed would impair his ability to effectively discharge his executive duties, according to Wong. Mr Anwar said in a statement: 'This matter has never been about seeking personal immunity or escaping legal scrutiny. It concerns the integrity of our constitutional system and the need to ensure that high public office is protected from litigation that may be strategically timed, politically motivated, or institutionally disruptive.' See also Americans brace for Covid 'surge upon a surge' Malaysian High Court vs US Supreme Court The Malaysian High Court's ruling on the prime minister contrasts with the US Supreme Court's stance on the president. The US Supreme Court has granted President Donald Trump significant immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken during his presidency. In the landmark 2024 decision Trump v. United States, the court ruled that a president is entitled to absolute immunity for actions within their core constitutional duties and at least presumptive immunity for other official acts. However, there is no immunity for unofficial or personal conduct. This ruling carried weight in legal proceedings against Mr Trump, particularly those related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. While some charges have been affected by this decision, others, such as his conviction in New York for falsifying business records related to hush money payments, have been upheld. The court determined that these actions were personal and not protected by presidential immunity. Prosecuted leaders While former leaders being prosecuted is relatively common in democracies, it is rare for a sitting leader to face criminal prosecution or conviction while still in office. Former heads of state or government charged with crimes include: Former French presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy. Both were convicted of corruption after leaving office. Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert. He was convicted of corruption after leaving office. Former South Korean presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, have been convicted and imprisoned after their term. Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is currently serving a prison sentence for corruption. Another Malaysian premier, Muhyiddin Yassin, was charged with abuse of power and money laundering after leaving office. Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was convicted of fraud after her term, though she continued to serve as Vice President while appealing. Sitting leaders being prosecuted are rare but not unheard of. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently on trial for corruption charges. Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz was criminally investigated on corruption charges while in office. He resigned and was later convicted of perjury. Mr Anwar, 77, has faced legal battles and jail sentences in the past for what he calls politically motivated cases. His former aide, Yusoff, 31, currently detained by the police, is on trial for alleged drug trafficking . He claims he was framed by those in power. His lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, welcomed the High Court ruling. He said it shows there is equality for everyone. Mr Anwar's plea for immunity was opposed by the civil society group, Lawyers for Liberty. 'This is not a concept that exists in any democratic country; it is a blatant violation of the rule of law and a flagrant feature of authoritarianism,' said Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek, reported Bloomberg. See also Trump urged to embrace free trade amid rising tensions Awkward complications Prosecuting leaders in office, however, can create awkward problems and may undermine their ability to carry out their duties. That is why there have been cases when ministers and officials have been suspended or asked to take leave while under investigation. Singapore's former transport minister S. Iswaran was instructed by the then prime minister Lee Hsien Loong to take a long leave of absence while being investigated for accepting valuable items from billionaire Ong Beng Seng. He was sentenced to 12 months' jail in October 2024, but after four months in prison, he was put on home detention for the rest of his term. Also noteworthy was the 'hush money' case against Mr Trump. He was convicted by a New York jury of falsifying business records after his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, allegedly paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 just before the 2016 election. However, the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, let hin off with an unconditional discharge on January 10. Ten days later, on January 20, Mr Trump was sworn in as president. Featured photo from Facebook (for illustration purposes only)
CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
Actor Zhang Yaodong spotted serving diners at his Tampines zi char stall after staff resigns
Almost a year after his scandal, former Mediacorp actor Zhang Yaodong seems to be moving on pretty well. While the 47-year-old Malaysia-born actor never responded to allegations of him impregnating various women, he did reveal in November that he has two daughters, and deeply regrets not having been there for them throughout their childhood. In February, it was revealed that Zhang is no longer managed by Mediacorp's talent management arm The Celebrity Agency. So what has Zhang, who is nominated in the , been up to lately? The actor was recently spotted manning a seafood zi char (cooked dishes) stall in a Tampines Industrial Park coffee shop. A diner named Xia Tian De Yu Er on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, had noticed Zhang working the cash register and took to the platform to share about it. "The food stall I eat at every afternoon turned out to be run by him. I only saw him coming to help because his staff resigned," wrote the diner. They also remarked that Zhang, who helped to take orders and serve customers, "looked better in person" and praised him for being polite. It appears that the diner's post-scandal impression of Zhang had changed after meeting him in person. "Actually, it's very virtuous for one to admit their mistakes and correct them," the diner wrote. Netizens seem to agree too. Though there are still those who continue to condemn Zhang, many are now defending him and urging others to not rain on his parade. "There's nothing wrong with him making an honest living," wrote one netizen. This is in fact not Zhang's first F&B venture. He has a catering business and he and his friend Terence Cao once opened a roast meat stall in a food court but shuttered it after two years, causing Zhang to lose a six-figure sum. Zhang's parents, who were from a town named Selayang in Selangor, started out as hawkers before opening a coffee shop. The actor was said to have helped out there when he was young.
