4th June 2024: SCMP – In Malaysia, business and human rights must go hand in hand, UN rights chief says in KL press conference against backdrop of systemic migrant worker abuses
Malaysia’s human rights obligations must align how its companies do business, the UN rights chief said on Tuesday, just days after the country slammed the door on overseas workers and left thousands in Bangladesh stranded and out of pocket resulting in migrant worker abuses.
Original Source: SCMP Hadi Azmi – 4th June 2024
- Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, discussed migrant issues with PM Anwar Ibrahim on Turk’s first trip to Southeast Asia in the role
- Malaysia has been in the spotlight for months over allegations that forced labour, debt bondage and scam jobs have riddled its recruitment market for foreign labour
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he discussed migrant issues with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in a meeting on Tuesday on Turk’s first trip to Southeast Asia in the role.
“If business practices are not human rights oriented, it will happen in the future, so the need of business and human rights comes together,” he told reporters.
Malaysia has been in the spotlight for months over allegations that forced labour, debt bondage and scam jobs – in particular targeting Bangladeshi migrants – have riddled its recruitment market for foreign labour.
Anwar’s government has been working hard to attract foreign investment into the country to boost Malaysia’s sluggish economy.
There is a need to establish a human rights-based migration plan to tackle exploitation, extortion and ill-treatment of low-wage migrant workers, including foreign domestic employees, Turk said, saying Malaysia is not alone when it comes to these issues.
A panel of UN labour analysts in April said large amounts of money were being made in a labour racket run by “criminal networks” between Malaysia and Bangladesh.
“We received reports that certain high-level officials in both governments are involved in this business or condoning it,” the analysts, including agency officials on anti-trafficking and modern day slavery – said in a statement. “This is unacceptable and needs to end.”
Malaysia on Friday closed its borders to new migrant workers, sparking chaos at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, as thousands of Bangladeshi migrant workers scrambled to catch last-minute flights before the midnight deadline.
Hopeful “remittance warriors” – as Bangladesh’s overseas workers are known – paid as much as US$1,000 for a seat on the last flights to Kuala Lumpur, to avoid being stranded at home after having paid thousands of dollars more to recruitment agents to secure visas.
Bangladesh’s labour bureau reported that some 17,000 people missed that midnight deadline.
Just under 50,000 Bangladeshi workers made it to Malaysia last month, the highest number since the labour market reopened in 2022 after the Covid-19pandemic.
Desperate to jumpstart its post-pandemic recovery, Malaysia has provided few safeguards to the reopening, leading to thousands – possibly tens of thousands – of migrant workers being lured into the country over lucrative job opportunities, only to find out after arriving in the country that the jobs promised are non-existent.
That left them open to exploitation and forced labour, activists say, while immigration authorities have detained migrants who have been forced to overstay on visas or work illegally to pay back debts incurred to leave Bangladesh.
Migrant activist Andy Hall described it as a “systemic and inexcusable abuse”.
Aside from a construction company that was investigated in February for bringing in 93 Bangladeshi migrant workers who ended up without work or income, there have been few repercussions for agents and companies in either countries alleged to be involved in this trade.
Malaysia’s government is trying to wean its labour market reliance on migrant workers, who at over 3 million strong, staff everything from restaurants to construction sites.
But migrant numbers are becoming an abrasive issue among the Malaysian public.
Turk, who was UNHCR’s representative in Malaysia from 2004 to 2008, said that migrants and refugee issues – particularly involving those from Myanmar – remained an unresolved issue for Malaysia.
“It is time to look at the refugee situation comprehensively, to analyse what it currently brings, and to accept the fact that refugees from Myanmar are going to stay until such time that the situation changes,” he said.
The Malaysian foreign ministry described Turk’s visit as part of the country’s “continued engagement and collaboration with the United Nations”, to raise human rights awareness and strengthen Malaysia’s understanding of human rights.
4th June 2024: New Straits Times Human rights-centric practices essential for foreign investment, says UN
Original Source: NST by Qistina Sallehuddin – 4th June 2024
United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk (center) speaks during a press conference at UN Office today. BERNAMA PIC
KUALA LUMPUR: The United Nations (UN) said efforts to attract foreign investment into the country will be jeopardised if business practices are not human rights-oriented.
Its High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said the issues of business and human rights were among the matters discussed during the meeting held with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Business and human rights issues were part of our discussions because we know that when it comes to business practices.
“And if is not human rights-oriented, it will harm the future. Businesses and human rights (must) come together,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
He said this in response to a question on if the exploitation of migrant workers will hurt Malaysia’s efforts to attract foreign investment.
Turk is undertaking a working visit to Malaysia as part of the country’s continued engagement and collaboration with the UN to raise human rights awareness and strengthen literacy for the enjoyment of human rights by fellow Malaysians.
Previously, the UN has raised alarm over the plight of Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia, who had travelled with hopes of employment after engaging in the official labour migration process.
UN also said the situation of Bangladeshi migrants who lived in Malaysia for several months or longer was unsustainable and undignified.
Meanwhile, Turk also said based on his observation, Malaysia is now more open to discussing issues pertaining to migrant exploitation compared to 20 years ago.
Although the issue of human rights was never a comfortable topic, Turk stressed that it has always been of societal interest and must be further advocated.
“I think it is really important to put the issues of migrant workers on the table to be able to discuss them, (and) to be able to say let’s have another look at the migratory framework.
“I think a much more comprehensive view is needed because sometimes the issue is only being dealt with by one ministry or another, but what you actually need is a comprehensive look at the whole migration system from the perspective of human rights because that goes into issues of labour standards, exploitation, and accountability when harm is done, or was done.
“(And) I think the fact that Malaysia is aware that there are issues and wants to tackle these issues is good for them.
Background Reading:
SCMP 3rd June 2024: ‘Nothing left for me’ as thousands of Bangladeshi workers lose everything in failed bid to work in Malaysia
Daily Star Editorial 3rd June 2024: Must our migrants pay the price every time?
Prothomalo 3rd June 2024 – Bangladesh Labour market: Hapless workers lose all vying to go to Malaysia
Daily Sun 3rd June 2024: IRREGULARITIES IN MIGRATION TO MALAYSIA: Recruiting agencies never made accountable
FMT 3rd June 2024: 17,000 Bangladeshi workers stranded, Dhaka pleads for time
Daily Star 3rd June 2024: 16,970 Bangladeshis failed to reach Malaysia for mismanagement, more destitution and modern slavery will result
Daily Star 3rd June 2024 – Bangladeshi Migrant Worker Exploitation and Malaysian Labour Market Alleged Criminal Syndicate: The agencies picked by KL to blame, Bangladesh tells UN OHCHR
Daily Star 2nd June 2024: Controversial recruitment system to stay 3 more years
Daily Star 2nd June – Jobs in Malaysia: Mismanagement left over 3k workers with no ticket to KL
Daily Star 1st June 2024: Must history repeat itself with the Malaysian labour market’s alleged criminal syndicate trafficking Bangladeshi migrant workers for forced labour
MALAYSIAKINI June 1st 2024: Controversial worker management system BESTINET gets new lease, sources say
1st June 2024 Kalerkantho: Malaysia’s dream ends in deprivation for Bangladeshi migrant workers of criminal syndicate
FMT 31st May 2024: Expect Bangladeshi workers to be stranded and at high risk of modern slavery following Malaysian migration management deadline rush, warns activist
SCMP 31st May 2024: Malaysians shocked by thousands of Bangladeshis crowding at airport to beat deadline for legal work, as UN and activists warn of increased modern slavery risks
CNA 31st May 2024: Over 30,000 workers set to miss deadline to enter Malaysia even as officials clear backlog at KL airport
Prothomalo 31 May 2024 – Bangladesh – Malaysia’s labour market: Repeated syndicates, repeated closure
Prothomalo 31st May 2024: Bangladesh – Thousands of people crowded Dhaka airport without flight tickets to go to Malaysia
31st May 2024 FMT: Govt reaffirms commitment to protect migrant workers’ rights to UN
31st May 2024: The closure of the labor market in Malaysia has shattered the dreams of 31,000 workers
Daily Star 31 May 2024 – Recruitment in Malaysia: Syndicate siphons over $1b out of Bangladesh
Daily Sun 31st May 2024: Biman sends 2,000 migrant workers to Malaysia
Business Standard 31st May 2024: Malaysia-bound workers scammed, stranded at Dhaka airport as deadline set to expire today
Daily Star 30th May 2024: Manpower syndicates beyond Dhaka-KL control
CNA 30th May 2024: ‘Congestion’ at KL airport as employers scramble to bring in thousands of migrant workers before deadline
MALAYSIAKINI 30th May 2023: ‘Migrants influx at KLIA due to employers chasing deadline’
30th May 2024 Benar News: Malaysia’s labor market closed – Migrant workers flock to airports in all countries
29th May Daily Star: Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia – Hiring begins with bribery (UN independent experts say Bangladeshi workers pay up to 8 times for migration alone due to corruption of Malaysia ministries, Bangladesh mission and syndicates)
29th May Daily Star: Airfare to Malaysia surges fivefold
FMT 28th May 2024: Malaysia yet to respond to UN concerns on alleged criminal syndicate trafficking Bangladeshi migrant victims for forced labour in the country(with my full statement included)
30th May Star: Cyclone smashes Bangladeshi workers’ hopes, extension requested
Channel News Asia 25th May 2024: Malaysia’s bid to revamp hiring of foreign workers through controversial BESTINET process faces pushback; activists say country’s reputation at stake
20th May 2024 FMT: Duped Bangladeshi workers won’t impact Malaysia’s US Human trafficking report ranking, says HR Minister Sim
Malay Mail 17th May 2024: Pengerang employer to face Labour Court in Malaysia after failing for months to pay Bangladeshi workers’ wages over RM1m (government statements and my comments included – months on, court agreed mediation settlement unforced, workers allegedly remain in situation akin to acute modern slavery)
16th May 2024: Firm that left over 700 Bangladeshi workers to dry in Pengerang facing possible prosecution (months on, court agreed mediation settlement unforced, workers allegedly remain in situation akin to acute modern slavery)
14th May 2024: FMT – Activists warn of US trafficking report downgrade for Malaysia amid UN criticism
9th May 2024: Study: 96% of Bangladeshi workers going to Malaysia fall into recruitment debt– The study also said that 82% had two or more loans and 73% of workers spent at least 50% to 100% of their monthly salary to repay recruitment debts
4th May 2024: UN agencies concerned over Bangladeshi workers stranded in Malaysia – Joint Statement of ILO, IOM and UNODC on Alleged Criminal Syndicate Trafficking Bangladeshi Workers for Forced Labour in Malaysia
24th April 2024: Address plight of duped Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia in response to UN warning, govt told (more on the ongoing saga of an alleged criminal syndicate trafficking Bangladeshi migrant workers for forced labour in Malaysia)
FMT 19th April 2024: UN experts sound alarm over plight of duped Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia
For more on Andy Hall’s complaint to the OHCHR see 30th Oct 2023: FMT: Andy Hall refers stranded Bangladeshi workers’ plight in Malaysia to UN Human Rights Council
See Daily Star 23rd Apr 2024: Bangladesh Plight of Migrant Workers – Bangladesh, Malaysia working group meeting likely in May
See Daily Star Editorial 23rd Apr 2024: When even legal migrants suffer – Workers migrating to Malaysia legally deserve better protection
Business Standard 23rd April 2024: Expat Ministry reviews UN complaints on Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia
Prothomalo 23rd April 2024: Bangladesh – Ministry reviewing allegations over Malaysia labour market
BenarNews Malay Language: Pakar PBB gesa Malaysia tangani layanan buruk diterima pekerja Bangladesh (UN expert urges Malaysia to handle bad treatment received by Bangladeshi workers)
Daily Star 19th Apr 2024: UN experts express dismay over situation of Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia
FMT 19th Apr 2024: PSM, news portal set aside order to stop debate on migrant workers’ plight
Daily Star Editorial 17th April 2024: Save our migrants in Malaysia (more on the crisis caused by an alleged criminal syndicate trafficking Bangladeshi workers for forced labour in Malaysia)
9th April 2024 The Star – Bangladeshi victims of criminal syndicate trafficking worked for forced labour in Malaysia: ‘Cops after workers, not rogue employers’
7th April 2024: SCMP – As Malaysia’s door closes on low-paid migrant workers, companies scramble for staff (and a systemically corrupt migration management and recruitment policy, devoid of the rule of law and leading to impunity and gross exploitation, is revealed)
6th April 2024 Daily Star: A hostel of nightmares for Bangladeshi migrants allegedly trafficked by criminal syndicate for forced labour in Malaysia (and Daily Star Op Ed)
Daily Star Editorial 6th Apr 2024: What will happen to migrants abandoned in Malaysia?
26th March 2024: The Star – Freeze on foreign workers hiring quota in Malaysia stays for now, says HR Minister (with estimated 200,000+ surplus foreign workforce victims facing destitution and abuse)
Daily Star 25th Mar: Malaysia employer framed Bangladeshi workers
Daily Star 24th Mar 2024: Jailed in Malaysia – 3 Bangladesh workers released
Editorial Prothomalo 24th Mar 2024: Malaysian labour market – Take action against the fraud syndicate
FMT 23rd March 2024: PSM calls on Sim to look into arrest of Bangladeshi workers
MALAYSIAKINI 23 Mar 2024: Stranded foreign workers (alleged victims of criminal syndicate trafficking Bangladeshi workers for forced labour in Malaysia) nabbed after labour complaints against employer
23rd March 2024 The Star: Half a million vulnerable and irregular foreign workers disappear from Malaysia’s migrant worker regularization programme as deadline looms in one week
23 Mar 2024 The Star: Verification rate lags as RTK 2.0 deadline approaches
22nd March 2024 Malay Mail: Home minister – Over RM9m in fines collected so far through migrant repatriation programme
22nd March 2024 Protomalo: Malaysian labour market set to be closed again due to syndication
20th March 2024: 93 duped/detained Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia have jobs now, says immigration DG
20th Mar 2024 Business Standard: Bangladeshi workers’ plight in Malaysia: Coalition of migration orgs demand action against recruiting agency syndicate
19th March 2024: FMT – Plantation firms wary of ‘forced labour’ concerns in hiring 200,000 surplus foreign workers/criminal syndicate victims in Malaysia, says minister – indeed he’s right, who wants to take on destitute foreign workers often with US$4-7000 in debt?
17th March 2024: FMT – Malaysia’s treatment of migrant workers utterly shameful
New Age 16th Mar 2024: Bangladeshi government must mend issues to keep Malaysia job market open
15th March 2024 SCMP: Malaysians deride minister’s idea to rebrand palm oil workers as ‘specialised harvesters’
14th March 2024: The Star – Opinion: When work in Malaysia is a con – the criminal syndicate trafficking Bangladeshis for forced labour in Malaysia
FMT 13th March 2024: Bangladeshi migrants file police reports after falling victim to job scam/criminal syndicate trafficking workers from Bangladesh for forced labour in Malaysia
12th March 2024: SCMP – Malaysia to slash migrant workforce amid intolerance, job scam crisis involving Bangladeshi labourers
Daily Star Editorial 10th March 2024: Migrating to a life of unemployment
Daily Star 10th Mar 2024: Distressed in Malaysia – Thousands of Bangladeshi migrants jobless, unpaid or underpaid
9th March 2024: Malay Mail – Activists warn rushed 31st March visa deadline in Malaysia could force firms to source foreign workers unethically (includes my commentary on the abrupt policy change)
9th Mar 2024 The Star: No extension of May 31 foreign worker deadline
NST 9th Mar 2024: Keep recruitment agencies in a list rather than shutting them down, govt told
See also NST 9th Mar 2024: Sourcing migrant workers takes time, ‘not like buying cattle’, employer groups tell govt
NST 8th Mar 2024: Eliminate middlemen from migrant worker recruitment process, govt told
Star 8th Mar 2024: May 31 deadline for foreign workers recruitment under recalibration programme remains, says Saifuddin
Malay Mail 8th Mar 2024: Saifuddin Nasution: No more agents for Bangladeshi worker recruitment
6th Mar 2024: Malaysian government halts foreign worker entry into the country from 31st May 2024 (final calling visa/VDN approval issuance deadline 31st March 2024) as migrant worker management crisis worsens and victims of gross exploitation, unemployment and destitution rise significantly
6th March 2024: Business Times –Sudden change in foreign worker policy by Malaysian government leaves industry in limbo
6th Mar 2024 Edge: Foreign worker intake deadline changes will leave manufacturers in the lurch, says FMM
6th Mar 2024 FMT: Industry players shocked by foreign worker policy change, says FMM
Mar 5 2024: NCCIM urges govt to review unused foreign worker quota deadline
FMT 3rd Mar 2024: Ensure ‘crooks’ do not gain from repatriation programme, says activist
Mar 2nd 2024 The Star: A chance for illegals to go home
Mar 2nd 2024 The Star: Sarawak immigration extends RTK2.0 until June
Mar 1st 2024 FMT: 600,000 foreign workers urged to take easy exit home
Mar 1st 2024 The Star: Use repatriation programme to return home, 600,000 illegals told
Feb 28th 2024 The Star: New programme lets migrants off the hook without being prosecuted
Feb 25th 2024 The Star: Businesses want foreign worker hiring freeze lifted
Jan 31st 2024 NST: Govt to implement Migrant Repatriation Programme starting March
Jan 31st 2024 The Edge: Cabinet agrees to extend freeze on hiring of foreign workers, says home minister
31st Jan 2024 FMT: Migrant repatriation programme set for March 1
31st Jan 2024 The Star: Migration Repatriation Programme to commence on March 1, says Home Ministry
FMT 6th Jan 2024: 171 duped migrant workers deserve compensation, govt told (includes my full statement)
5th Jan 2024: New Strait Times – MCA: Don’t just fine employers, hold ministry accountable as well for unemployed foreign workers
FMT 30th Dec 2023: Migrants being duped into Malaysia because of govt’s failure to curb criminal trafficking syndicates and organised crime network, says activist Andy Hall
30th Dec 2023: New Strait Times – Recruitment agencies accused of deception as Bangladeshi victims speak out on exploitation and fear
29th Dec 2023: Malay Mail – Set up probe on exploitation of migrant workers and new ministry to manage their affairs, Suhakam tells Putrajaya
28th Dec 2023: FMT – Malaysia has entered ‘slave labour’ territory, says ex-MP – Charles Santiago calls for specific set-ups to manage migrant workers
27th Dec 2023: New Strait Times – MTUC demand govt, MACC probe into corrupt recruitment practices of foreign workers
26th Dec 2023: FMT – High recruitment fees make greedy agents bring in workers, says group
25th Dec 2023: FMT – Probe recruitment agents, MACC told after arrest of Bangladeshis
22nd Nov 2023: MALAYSIAKINI – Full probe of migrant worker syndicate, Malaysian HR Minister Sivakumar says
9th Nov 2023: Malaysia – The State of the Nation: Flaws of foreign worker system laid bare in declassified report
30th Oct 2023: FMT: Andy Hall refers stranded Bangladeshi workers’ plight in Malaysia to UN Human Rights Council
20th Oct 2023 Malaysiakini: Long-awaited foreign worker management report declassified in Malaysia (my comments added)
19th Oct 2023: Malaysia facing huge excess of 1/4 million migrant laborers
21st Sep 2023: Malaysian government has 15 source countries for foreign workers – Comments by Andy Hall
20th Sep 2023: Rate of abused Bangladeshi workers’ entry into Malaysia worrying, says migrant rights activist Andy Hall
Aljazeera News TV 10th July 2023 – Migrants in Malaysia: Hundreds left stranded in recruitment scam
Reuters 11th Apr 2023: In Malaysia, migrants say they are in limbo after promised jobs fall through
25th April 2023 Sarawak Post: Malaysia And Modern Slavery – ‘PM Must Take Control’
23rd April 2023: REUTERS: Malaysia probes cases of migrant workers left jobless, without passports (with background summary and articles included in my blog post)
17th April 2023 Daily Star: Approval For Labour Recruitment – Malaysia’s transparency questioned by Bangladesh
FMT 13th April 2023: Stranded Bangladeshis endure ‘hell’ in Malaysia – The group of 35 now wants to go home after being left without jobs for months
11th Mar 2023 MALAYSIAKINI: Malaysian HR Minister Sivakumar – Zero checks for migrant quota approvals only until March 2023
13th Feb 2023: My Perspective published by FMT – ‘Time to address corruption in Malaysia’s migrant worker management’
10th Jan 2023: ‘Bangladeshi recruitment cartels’ grip must end’ – Govt now acting on billion-ringgit ‘human trafficking syndicates’
1st Oct 2022 Malay Mail: PM Anwar says Putrajaya to Ease Rules on Hiring Migrant Workers
7th July 2022 The Vibes: How Bestinet courted controversy over migrant worker recruitment – MACC’s raid on IT company once again casts spotlight on alleged hiring monopoly
June 2022 The Star: Human Traffickers made RM2 billion through syndicate smuggling in over 100,000 workers from Bangladesh