Latest news with #BangladeshiWorkers
Free Malaysia Today
24-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Mould manufacturer sets up task force to resolve worker grievances
Mediceram Sdn Bhd said both the company and its workers have committed to moving forward constructively together in the best interests of their stakeholders and wellbeing of their business. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Glove mould manufacturer Mediceram Sdn Bhd has agreed to set up an internal task force linked to a committee comprising employees to resolve future grievances. The move follows weeks of tension with its Bangladeshi workforce allegedly over working conditions and the recruitment fees the workers had paid in Bangladesh before coming to Malaysia, said Arumugam Suppiah, the company's chairman. Arumugam also said the company and its Bangladeshi workers reached an amicable resolution to issues related to a recent dispute today. 'Both parties have now committed to moving forward constructively together in the best interests of all stakeholders and to ensure the profitability and economic wellbeing of our business,' he said in a statement. He said both sides agreed that any future complaints from workers concerning their working and living conditions would be addressed through the in-house task force, instead of raising them on social media or the press, 'to ensure constructive dialogue and timely resolution'. Arumugam said the workers had been demanding refunds for recruitment fees they paid to Bangladeshi agents before their arrival in Malaysia. Although Mediceram initially agreed to reimburse them, its proposal to stagger the payments over a 12-month period led to renewed protests. About 180 Bangladeshi workers staged two rounds of strikes, on March 6 and 18, in protest against contributions paid to agents in Bangladesh and unresolved passport and visa issues. Arumugam said the company has since agreed to pay each of the workers RM22,500, over an eight-month period, although it is not obligatory under Malaysian laws. He also thanked migrant rights activist Andy Hall for facilitating the dialogue between the company and its Bangladeshi workers under challenging circumstances, and for Hall's commitment to finding a fair and mutually acceptable resolution to the problem. 'While some harsh statements were indeed exchanged in the past week, and the company observed what we believe were inappropriate actions by certain individuals throughout this dispute, we humbly accept our own shortcomings in managing this situation effectively at the outset with our own workers,' he said. Arumugam, however, disputed earlier reports by FMT that the strike by the foreign labourers was linked to unpaid wages. 'It was due to the fees paid to recruitment agents in Bangladesh,' he said.
CNA
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
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.
Free Malaysia Today
13-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Malaysia-Bangladesh labour talks must address cartel issues, says ex-MP
Top officials from Bangladesh are set to hold talks with human resources minister Steven Sim and senior ministry officials in Kuala Lumpur to discuss reopening the labour market to Bangladeshi workers. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Malaysia and Bangladesh must discuss putting an end to cartels in the labour recruitment market when officials from the two countries hold a special three-day meeting in Kuala Lumpur beginning tomorrow, a former MP said. Charles Santiago, the former MP for Klang, said the current system and processes must be reformed, especially the way recruitment agents allegedly linked to cartels operate, by charging fees as high as RM20,000 for Bangladeshi workers to work in Malaysia. Charles Santiago. 'Let's not rush into reopening a broken door. Fix the house first. I caution against reopening the Malaysia-Bangladesh labour market without real reforms. 'The current system breeds corruption, exploitation and debt bondage. We must not go back to business as usual,' he told FMT. According to Bangladeshi daily The Daily Observer, the country's expatriates' welfare adviser Asif Nazrul and senior secretary Neamat Ullah Bhuiyan will represent the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in the talks. They are scheduled to meet human resources minister Steven Sim and senior officials from the ministry tomorrow to discuss reopening the Malaysian labour market for Bangladeshi workers. Santiago said the negotiations must address the dismantling of the syndicate model that had been charging excessive recruitment fees, resulting in debt bondage and labour trafficking. 'Both governments should commit to an alternative mechanism that tracks each Bangladeshi worker from the moment the Bangladeshi government approves their job offer right up to their exit interview and flight back home,' he said. Santiago added that the increasing focus of importing countries on social audits – especially those concerning forced labour, recruitment fees and unscrupulous labour brokers – must guide the discussions. However, he warned that if the recruitment channel was to be reopened, it must come with new safeguards. 'It must have a legally binding agreement framework between both countries, rooted in transparency and accountability at every stage. 'Forget the MoUs, which do not seem to be taken seriously by both sending and receiving countries,' Santiago said. Employer-pay principle Another key reform, Santiago said, was the enforcement of the universally accepted employer-pay principle, which, despite being legally required, was often ignored by authorities. 'Workers should not be paying any money. Employers pay for everything. When a worker has to borrow or mortgage their property to come here, they end up with debt bondage and close to being in a slavery environment,' he said. Santiago also pointed to a report by the Public Accounts Committee two years ago that criticised the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS) as a flawed process. Despite the findings, the system continues to be in use. 'I hope the negotiators will pay attention to the FWCMS in their discussion, as otherwise, we will go back to where we came from,' he said.
Malay Mail
13-05-2025
- Malay Mail
GOF cracks down on illegal sand mining in Kelantan, arrests six, seizes RM2m in machinery
KOTA BHARU, May 13 — The General Operations Force (GOF) cracked down illegal sand mining activities in a river near Kampung Pahi, Kuala Krai under Op Taring Wawasan on Sunday. GOF Southeast Brigade Commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the operation was carried out in collaboration with the Kota Bharu Land and Mines Office at around 4.15 pm. He said the inspection found that the activities were carried out by three local men and three Bangladeshis, who failed to show valid permits or documents for sand extraction. 'The police detained and seized all equipment and machinery such as sand suction vessels, excavators, lorries and other equipment used to move sand estimated at RM2 million. 'The case is being investigated under Section 426 of the National Land Code 1965. The suspects and the seized items were handed over to the Kota Bharu Land and Mines Office for further action,' he said in a statement today. Commenting further, Nik Ros Nik Azhan said GOF also foiled coconut smuggling activities after detaining a trailer and two lorries in Kampung Terbak, Tumpat on Sunday. 'The results of the inspection found that three local men were transferring approximately 45,100 kilogrammes of coconuts from the trailer to the lorry and they failed to show purchase documents related to the coconuts. 'The estimated value of the seizure is RM1.35 million including vehicles and the case is being investigated under Regulation 4(2) of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) Act 141 Coconut Marketing Plan 1973. The suspect and the seized items were handed over to the FAMA Kota Bharu Office for further action,' he said. — Bernama
Malay Mail
13-05-2025
- Malay Mail
GOF cracks down on illegal sand mining in Kelantan, arrest six, seizes RM2m in machinery
KOTA BHARU, May 13 — The General Operations Force (GOF) cracked down illegal sand mining activities in a river near Kampung Pahi, Kuala Krai under Op Taring Wawasan on Sunday. GOF Southeast Brigade Commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the operation was carried out in collaboration with the Kota Bharu Land and Mines Office at around 4.15 pm. He said the inspection found that the activities were carried out by three local men and three Bangladeshis, who failed to show valid permits or documents for sand extraction. 'The police detained and seized all equipment and machinery such as sand suction vessels, excavators, lorries and other equipment used to move sand estimated at RM2 million. 'The case is being investigated under Section 426 of the National Land Code 1965. The suspects and the seized items were handed over to the Kota Bharu Land and Mines Office for further action,' he said in a statement today. Commenting further, Nik Ros Nik Azhan said GOF also foiled coconut smuggling activities after detaining a trailer and two lorries in Kampung Terbak, Tumpat on Sunday. 'The results of the inspection found that three local men were transferring approximately 45,100 kilogrammes of coconuts from the trailer to the lorry and they failed to show purchase documents related to the coconuts. 'The estimated value of the seizure is RM1.35 million including vehicles and the case is being investigated under Regulation 4(2) of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) Act 141 Coconut Marketing Plan 1973. The suspect and the seized items were handed over to the FAMA Kota Bharu Office for further action,' he said. — Bernama
