(Google translate of Kantipur argument below)
In debt, stranded, with irregular or no work at the moment – more tragic stories from Kantipur media (Nepal) of South Asian (Nepali) laborers in debt bondage/forced labour in abusive working conditions in Malaysia.
For recruitment costs are at a record high these days for workers from Nepal going to Malaysia, often 3-4 times more than in the past (US$3,000 per pax compared to the previous US$600-1300 prior to the start of the Anwar government).
The situation of debt bondage and forced labour in Malaysia seems to be worsening generally as concerns exorbitant recruitment fees.
Kantipur News: Year-round labor to pay off loan to Malaysia
Hom Karki
Fees up to 340,000NPR were collected from workers – Neither regular work nor timely salary
https://ekantipur.com/news/2023/05/30/168541104463413566.html
The company takes the contracted cargo to the port only on the day it arrives. After the cargo arrives, you have to work continuously for 19-20 hours a day. You can’t say sunshine and rain.’
Kathmandu – Keshav Kumar Karn from Janakpur who has reached Malaysia is increasing day by day. He went to Malaysia after taking a loan from a moneylender, and the increasing interest is bothering him day and night. So they are ready to work day and night to get rid of debt as soon as possible.
However, employers in Malaysia neither provide regular work nor pay on time. When there is no regular work, he spends most of his time sleeping.
In Malaysia, 20 Nepalese workers were kept in a state of isolation in a room. They have been sent to work in Klang Port, Malaysia through Creative Placement Services and are unemployed.
Sent to work three times in three months. The rest of the time is kept lying on the ground. You have to stay inside the room. Remembering the house loan burns the heart. After spending the whole day at leisure, the mind is restless,’ said Karna. His employer is Sun Logistics Services. Sun has won the contract for Klang Port, a major port in Malaysia. Klang Port, which ships rubber and tin to more than 100 countries, lies between Penang and Singapore. The port is about 37 km from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, handling cargo arriving every hour.
Even though there was a zero-cost arrangement to go to Malaysia, Karna paid Rs 340,000 to go to work hard at the international trading post. The employer was set to pay a minimum monthly salary of 1,500 ringgit. Even if the same salary is paid regularly, he has to work hard for at least one year to collect the fees paid to go to Malaysia. However, Karn, who arrived in Malaysia on March 13, has received only 1,200 ringgit for food from the company in three months.
It costs 500 ringgit a month just to eat here. Even if you send only 1,000 ringgit to your home after 1,500 hands, it takes a year to collect the investment,” he said. “It’s like coming to give labor to the Malaysian government for a year.” There are 20 more Nepalis with Karna. They were all sent by Creative Placement Services. “Though we were sent by Creative, the money transaction was done with Ramesh Khadka of Alkasar Manpower. Our agent is Alkasar Manpower,” he said. “The company takes the contracted cargo to the port only on the day it arrives. After the cargo arrives, you have to work continuously for 19-20 hours a day. You can’t say sun-rain.’
Gopal Khatri’s team from Dang, who arrived ahead of them on December 30, live upstairs from the Karnas. This team also did not get regular work. 20-20 workers came to the company many times. Out of that, 34 of us are kept in one building,” said Khatri, adding, “There are only 8-10 days of work in a month. Our team has been given a minimum salary of three months. But not for Karna’s team. Khatri said that he had to pay a fee of 310,000 rupees when he went to Malaysia. He said that they came under the condition of receiving a salary of 3500 ringgit. It is said that if you work 234 hours a month to get the minimum wage, you will get 1500. While doing normal duty for 26 days (two hundred and eight) hours in a month will get the minimum salary,” he said, ‘it is very difficult to work at the port. We are told to train for 5-6 months. Will there be training even for so many months?’
Jitendra Kumar Yadav of Saptari, who arrived in Malaysia after paying a fee of 348,000 rupees, said that even after the death of his four-year-old son, he could not return home. I don’t know where the gold company is. Even when we are paid, we are not given a receipt with the seal of the company,’ he said, ‘I was given only 750 ringgit when the other 1,500 came.’ According to Yadav, there is no insurance while working at the port. Cargo work is very risky. no insurance In case of illness, the worker must take medication himself. Only 5-6 times in a month it is time to work. Even if it is our turn, we do not specify how many hours we will work,” he said. “Dress and shoes worn on duty are also deducted from our salary. The transportation fee incurred while going to and coming from duty should also be paid from our own pocket.
According to Creative Placement, 100 workers have been sent to Klang Port. Sanjeev Niraula, the owner of Creative, claimed to have sent workers at zero cost. We have not collected money from any worker. “We don’t know who they paid,” he claimed. According to him, there is no salary dispute. “No one gets the salary for the first month after going to Malaysia. This is practice. After that, the salary is paid every month. 1,200 ringgit peski has been given to 20 people. They will get 3,000 for two months in the first week of June,” he said. “There will not be regular work at the port like in other places. There are only 15 days in a month. We told this clearly to the maid when we were leaving. Even if you work for 15 days, you will get full salary. He said that the problem of the hostel will be solved in a few days. Another hostel is being built near where the workers are kept. As soon as we get permission from water and electricity, it will be solved,” he said.
According to the policy of the Port Klang Authority, no exploitation of workers is acceptable. In the policy implemented by the authority, all service providers, constructors, vendors, suppliers must obey the laws and regulations of Malaysia. However, the authority has not taken any action against the companies that charge high fees and take workers and do not provide regular work. When asked about this from the General Manager of the Authority, K. Swaramaniyam, he promised that the Authority will investigate the matter.
‘Ballabal goes to work. After finishing the duty, you have to wait for the vehicle for three to four hours. Again the actual time we do is not charged to the card. Our problem is not reaching the company. Here, the minimum wage for such a difficult job is 1800 ringgit. If we are to be employed, we should be given the same. If not, they should be returned or changed to another company,” said Khatri. He said that the Nepalese embassy has also been informed about the problem.
