2 Indian nationals nabbed in Bengaluru with nearly 3k slider turtles
Despite numerous warnings issued by authorities, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) continues to be used by smugglers to transport wildlife out of the country, especially to India.
Yesterday, Indian Customs authorities stopped two Indian nationals who had just arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport, in Bengaluru, India, via IndiGo flight 6E-1038 from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 10.59pm.
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New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Foreign labour pangs
Trafficking foreign workers into Malaysia is becoming a big business. Errant employers and corrupt officers in cahoots with multinational syndicates are profiting at the expense of foreign workers. Most, if not all, of these foreign workers are duped into coming here. On June 2, a record 279 foreigners — 240 Bangladeshis, 33 Pakistanis and six Indians — were turned back at Kuala Lumpur International Airport by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MBCA) for failing to meet immigration requirements. And here is the worry: according to the agency's acting director-general Datuk Sazali Mohamad, the case may be just the tip of the iceberg. So what we see is not what we get. Between June 2023 and May last year, 25,568 foreign workers were issued Not-To-Land Orders (NTLs), he told the New Straits Times. How many slipped through MBCA's net remains a mystery. Clearly, Malaysia wants to curb human trafficking, but issuing NTLs and adopting stricter border controls alone won't solve the problem. There is no denying that there are many factors behind the thriving illegal business. But the driving factor is the demand for cheap foreign labour by miscreant employers who work with syndicates at home and abroad. It is here that the authorities must begin. Blacklisting rogue employers would be a good start. Next is government-to-government collaboration between Malaysia and source countries, without which it would be impossible to root out trafficking of foreign workers. Neither Malaysia nor sending countries can deny that syndicates are at work in both places. Such collaboration must involve each taking responsibility to stamp out such syndicates, including weeding out corrupt enforcement officers. This must be followed by bilateral agreements. The Philippines-Malaysia memorandum of understanding for domestic workers offers a strong model, clearly outlining minimum wages and employer responsibilities. Our industry players must not outsource such responsibilities to third parties, a major flaw that contributes to foreign workers becoming undocumented workers in Malaysia. Equally important is to seriously think about our excessive dependence on foreign labour. For sure, demand for foreign workers isn't going to go away by decree. We have become too reliant on them to say that by this or that year we will reduce our intake. Here is why. The Human Resources Ministry last year said there were 2.3 million foreign workers in various sectors such as manufacturing (730,999), construction (646,508), services (394,739), plantation (263,151), agriculture (171,103), domestic work (100,675) and mining and quarrying (571), making up 14.6 per cent of Malaysia's total workforce. With this level of dependence, it isn't easy to reduce our reliance on foreign labour in a few years. Perhaps, what is needed is for policymakers and industry players to plan together for a phased reduction of foreign workers. To compel businesses to hurry with automation would meet with strong resistance. Because automation isn't cheap for many businesses in Malaysia. Large plantations, for example, can afford automation, but smallholders may need incentives such as tax relief. If we can shower such benefits on foreign investors, there isn't a reason why we can't do the same for local businesses.
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Two women arrested after theft spree at Changi Airport transit area
The theft spree took place at the departure transit area of Changi Airport's Terminal 3. - ST SINGAPORE: Two women transiting through Changi Airport were arrested for a series of shop thefts allegedly committed at different stores. In a statement on Monday (June 9), the police said they were alerted to a suspected case of theft from a Furla outlet at the departure transit area of Terminal 3 on June 2 at about 2.25pm. A purse was allegedly stolen, and through the use of closed-circuit television camera footage, officers from the Airport Police Division identified and found the two women involved inside an hour. The women, aged 29 and 30, and both Indian nationals, were detained before they could leave the country. The stolen purse was found on the younger woman, and a black haversack and a bottle of perfume - both also allegedly stolen based on preliminary investigations - in the luggage of the older woman. The three items had a total value of S$635. The women are expected to be charged in court on June 10 for theft in dwelling. If convicted, they can be jailed up to seven years, fined, or both. 'The police will continue to work closely with stakeholders and the community to prevent and deter cases of shop theft,' the statement said, adding that the police take a serious view of shop thefts. The most recent case of reported shop theft in Changi Airport was in May, when a British man was arrested for his suspected involvement in stealing more than $2,900 worth of items. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
Manipur unrest sparks curfew
On high alert: Security personnel standing guard at a checkpoint after a curfew was imposed following recent violence in Imphal in the Indian state of Manipur. — AFP An Indian state riven by ethnic tensions imposed an Internet shutdown and curfew after protesters clashed with security forces over the arrest of some members of a radical group, police said. Manipur in India's northeast has been rocked by periodic clashes for more than two years between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and the mainly Christian Kuki community that have killed more than 250 people. The latest violence was triggered on Saturday after reports of the arrest of five members, including a commander, of Arambai Tenggol, a radical Meitei group. Incensed mobs demanding their release stormed a police post, set fire to a bus and blocked roads in parts of the state capital, Imphal. Manipur police yesterday announced a curfew in five districts, including Imphal West and Bishnupur, due to the 'developing law and order situation'. 'Prohibitory orders have been issued by District Magistrates. Citizens are requested to cooperate with the orders,' the police said in a statement. Arambai Tenggol, suspected of orchestrating the violence against the Kuki community, has also declared a 10-day shutdown in the valley districts. The state's home ministry has ordered all Internet and mobile data services in volatile districts to be shut off for five days in order to bring the latest unrest under control. Internet services were shut down for months in Manipur during the initial outbreak of violence in 2023, which displaced around 60,000 people from their homes, according to government figures. Thousands of the state's residents are still unable to return home owing to ongoing tensions. Long-standing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities revolve around competition for land and public jobs. Rights activists have accused local leaders of exacerbating ethnic divisions for political gain. — AFP
