5th Sept 2024: FMT – Malaysian labour dept probes Bangladeshi workers’ forced labour claims in factory allegedly supplying to major electronics companies Daikin, Panasonic and Sony
PETALING JAYA: The Selangor labour department is investigating claims of unpaid wages and other forced labour indicators by a group of Bangladeshi workers at a factory in Klang that supplies components to major electronics companies such as Daikin, Panasonic and Sony.
Original Source: FMT by Jason Thomas – 5th September 2024
The workers allege that they have not been paid for months and forced to work 12-hour shifts everyday.
In an e-mail to the company and its major customers (my addition: Daikin, Panasonic and Sony), migrant rights activist Andy Hall shared a report based on interviews with seven workers which details their allegations of forced labour.
The report claims that the workers have not been paid for up to six months, causing them and their families severe distress.
They also allegedly paid exorbitant recruitment fees through loans, worsening their financial difficulties.
According to the report, the workers are forced to work seven days a week, including public holidays, without overtime pay.
The report also claimed the workers’ lived in overcrowded dormitories, with many sharing a single room. It also said the toilet facilities provided to workers are unhygienic, contributing to their poor living conditions.
Some workers are allegedly working without valid visas due to the company’s failure to renew them, leaving them vulnerable and undocumented, said the report.
In addition, workers who raised concerns about unpaid wages or working conditions were allegedly threatened with detention, deportation, or police action. Four workers were allegedly sent back to Bangladesh as punishment.
A source from the human resources ministry told FMT the Selangor labour department is looking into the claims, while another source close to the matter said the department is preparing a report on the workers’ alleged mistreatment.
In a memorandum sent to the Bangladesh high commission in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, some of the workers said they have not been paid on time since they joined the company last November.
The memorandum also said the workers’ employers threatened to send them back to Bangladesh whenever they raised the issue of their unpaid salary.
FMT has seen videos of the workers’ allegedly overcrowded accommodation and unsanitary toilet facilities. In another video, a worker claimed he was forced to work 12 hours every day.
He said a group of workers recently protested outside the company’s office over five months of unpaid salaries, after which the company cut off their water, electricity, and gas supplies.
FMT has reached out to the Bangladesh high commission in Kuala Lumpur for comment and is withholding the name of the company pending a response.
31st Aug 2024: Somyot News Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia remain unpaid for 5 months
Over 200 Bangladeshi workers employed by Kawaguchi Manufacturing Sdn Bhd in Malaysia have been left unpaid for five consecutive months, sparking protests and a plea for intervention from the Bangladesh Embassy.
Original Source: Somoy News – 31st August 2024
The workers, who are subjected to gruelling 12-hour shifts, including three hours of overtime, are facing severe financial hardship.
The workers, who migrated to Malaysia in November 2023 in search of better employment opportunities, were initially paid in phases during the first four months of their employment.
Read more: Malaysia to hire 1.8 lakh Bangladeshi workers
However, the company has since withheld their wages, causing significant distress among the workers, many of whom had sold their possessions or taken high-interest loans to finance their move abroad.
On Friday, 30th August, the workers staged a protest outside the company’s premises, demanding their overdue wages. In response, the company reportedly countered with threats and took punitive actions against some workers, including levelling false charges and repatriating them to Bangladesh.
Four workers were blacklisted and sent back home, with a five-year ban on re-entering Malaysia.
Read more: Bangladesh’s largest financial scam in worker migration to Malaysia exposed
The workers, who are subjected to gruelling 12-hour shifts, including three hours of overtime, are facing severe financial hardship. “We were assured that we would be paid our salary regularly and on time, but the company is breaching their promises,” said one of the affected workers.
“We are unable to repay the debts we took on in Bangladesh, and despite informing the company of our dire situation, they have disregarded our concerns and threatened us with deportation.”
The workers have now sought the assistance of the Bangladesh Embassy in Malaysia, hoping for a resolution to their plight.
Malaysia remains a popular destination for Bangladeshi workers seeking employment abroad, with the country being one of the largest sources of remittances for Bangladesh.
This incident highlights the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers and raises concerns about their treatment and rights in foreign employment. The affected workers and their families now await action from both the company and the relevant authorities to secure their rightful wages and ensure fair treatment.
Additional Background Reading:
FMT 7th July 2024: Use independent experts for migrant system audit, says anti-graft group
MALAYSIAKINI 6th July 2024 C4CENTER COMMENT: Massive migrant labour recruiting issues, cops must probe
NST 6th July 2024: Probe foreign labour recruitment misgovernance highlighted by PAC, govt urged
FMT 6th July 2024: Anti-corruption watchdog demands action over govt-Bestinet deal
Malay Mail 6th July 2024: Home minister says will review PAC criticism over migrant worker system launched without contract
Star 5th July 2024: Mutual termination clause in Bestinet contract puts Putrajaya in ‘challenging position’, says Public Accounts Committee report
4th July 2024 BSS News – Expatriates Minister Shofiqur directs returning money to workers who failed to go to Malaysia
4th July 2024 New Age – Bangladeshi Agencies must refund workers unable to go to Malaysia by July 18: ministry
FMT 4th July 2024: Govt urged to heed PAC’s call on migrant worker system
Star 4th July 2024: Human Resources Ministry to conduct internal audit
Star 4th July 2024: PAC uncovers serious flaws
FMT 3rd July 2024: Decide quickly on direction of migrant worker system in Malaysia, Public Accounts Committee tells govt
Vibes 3rd July 2024: Foreign worker management system operating 6 years without a contract
3rd July 2024: The Edge – Public Accounts Committee chastises govt for running foreign worker recruitment system for six years without contract
Malaysiakini 3rd July 2024: BESTINET Probe – Public Accounts Committee chief says ‘Datuk Amin’ not among witnesses
3rd July 2024: The Star – Bestinet told Public Accounts Committee unauthorised users were approved by HR Ministry personnel, report shows
FMT 2nd July 2024: Tenaganita letter to Editor – TIP upgrade no cause for celebration just yet
30th June 2024: Somoy News – Bangladeshi High Court orders disclosure of action on Malaysia migrant worker scam (with 500,000+ victims) in 7 days
Malay Mail 25th June 2024: Home minister sees good things for Malaysian businesses after upgrade to US trafficking ranking
The Star 25th June 2024: Malaysia will strive to reach Tier 1 in Trafficking In Persons report, says Saifuddin
Scoop 25th June 2024: Nation’s improved Tier 2 human trafficking ranking ‘dangerously misleading’, says activist
See also MALAYSIAKINI 25th June 2024: M’sia doesn’t deserve Tier 2 in US human trafficking ranking – activist
Daily Star 26th June 2024: Rights activists criticise Malaysia’s improved ranking
See also Benar News 24th June 2024: Malaysia advances in US State Dept’s world rankings for anti-human trafficking efforts
See also FMT 24th June 2024: Malaysia upgraded to Tier 2 in US human trafficking report
See also Benarma 25th June 2024: Malaysia upgraded to Tier 2 in U.S. TIP Report
See also Focus Malaysia 25th June 2024: Migrant workers’ activist – Malaysia doesn’t deserve Tier 2 upgrade in 2024 US human trafficking report
See also 25th June 2024: Home Ministry welcomes country’s Tier 2 upgrade on Trafficking in Persons 2024 report
See also FMT 25th June 2024: Home ministry open to working with NGOs against human trafficking
See also Star 25th June 2024: Malaysia upgraded to Tier 2 in latest Trafficking in Persons report
SCMP 25th June 2024: Malaysia’s upgrade in US human trafficking index decried as ‘disappointing’ amid migrant worker woes
24th June 2024 Exclusive Analysis: CNA – Extension of Malaysia’s controversial migrant labour ecosystem (involving BESTINET) a blow to PM Anwar’s reform agenda
See New Strait Times 24th June 2024: Malaysian Government Forms Committee to Review Terms of Bestinet’s 3 Year Extension
FMT 24th June 2024: Bestinet contract extended, confirms Saifuddin – ‘Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says the Cabinet decided in principle on the extension ‘several weeks ago’.
Malay Mail 24th June 2024: Home Minister – Bestinet keeps foreign worker system contract for three more years, but with stricter terms
Bernama News 24th June 2024: Committee set up to Peruse Terms and Conditions of BESTINET Contract
FMT 24th June 2024: Bestinet to surrender control of workers management system under new deal
FMT 24th June 2024: Bestinet should be phased out eventually, says ex-MP
Malaysianist 18th June 2024: Minting money from a migrant services monopoly (click to subscribe for full article)
9th June 2024 Daily Star – Labour Recruitment from Bangladesh to Malaysia: Syndicate wins, migrants suffer, country loses(excellent summary how bad triumphed, carnage resulted – Bangladesh and Malaysia MUST be downgraded to Tier 3 in the upcoming U.S. TIP report!)
Dhaka Tribune 11th June 2024: Deadline extended for Malaysia migration hurdle complaints
Business Standard 11th June: Unrest within Baira over Malaysian labour market, ruckus in AGM as committee members assaulted
Observer 9th June 2024: Around 2,900 complaints lodged by deprived Malaysia-bound migrants
Malaysianist 6th June 2024: The fat cat ruling the Malaysian migrant services roost(allegations of systemic corruption involving Malaysia’s migrant worker management systems – click to subscribe)
Business Standard 5th June 2024: Govt to take action over failure in sending workers to Malaysia: PM Hasina
4th June 2024 Daily Star (Op Ed): Break the syndicates, not the dreams of Malaysia-bound workers
SCMP 4th June 2024 – 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
New Straits Times 4th June 2024: Human rights-centric practices essential for foreign investment, says UN
4th June 2024 Business Standard: NHRC orders probe into alleged embezzlement of Tk150cr from Malaysia-bound workers
4th June 2024 Business Standard: 47,809 Bangladeshis flew to Malaysia in May – highest since labour market reopened in 2022
Daily Sun 3rd June: IRREGULARITIES IN MIGRATION TO MALAYSIA – Recruiting agencies never made accountable(good historical summary)
Business Standard 4th June 2024:Dhaka-20, Feni-2 MPs deny allegations of involvement in embezzling money from Malaysia-bound workers
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
