Tenaganita Laments On Absence Of Laws To Protect Migrant Workers In Malaysia
JAKARTA, May 7 (Bernama) -- Tenaganita executive director Irene Fernandez has made a statement criticising the Malaysian government and Malaysian employers in an interview with an Indonesian English daily on the issue of migrant workers in Malaysia.
In the question-and-answer article published Monday by The Jakarta Post, she had among other things lamented on the absence of laws to protect migrant workers in Malaysia.
"Migrant workers have been objects of exploitation, physical abuse, violence and rape in line with the emergence of care-giving industries and the privatisation of health care, which are part of the neo-liberal capitalism which has damaged Malaysia's economic system and raised inequalities among migrant workers, mostly women," she said.
The Indonesian government, she said, should not resume sending workers to Malaysia until the government and employers change their mindsets and make a particular law to protect them and their rights.
Fernandez said many employers have breached the immigration law in employing undocumented workers.
"In 2011, we recorded more than 1,500 cases befalling undocumented workers and 500 cases of employers' violations of the immigration law. Most undocumented workers were deported after serving their jail sentence while most employers were cleared of charges," she said.
Fernandez said labour and child trafficking as well as trade of babies has been rampant in the country over the past three years and, in Sarawak, women migrant workers who were victims of human trafficking were raped and forced to give birth.
She said Indonesian migrant workers, especially domestic helpers and gardeners, would continue to face troubles with their employers and the authorities because, among other things, the revised labour agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia does not identify their rights, the labour permit is still held by employers and not by the government, and the minimum wage is not set for new workers.
"I appreciate the Indonesian government's policy not to resume the sending of workers until the bilateral agreement spells out workers' rights and the recruitment system is revised to put workers and their employers in an equal position," she said.
The are about two million migrant workers from Indonesia who work mostly as domestic maids and labourers in the agricultural sector.
tunku : i think this old lady has slightest love for malaysia. if she is truly malaysian she will not condemn malaysia in other country. this show this leech actual character.you can air your view but to the right channel and in your country not going to foreign media in foreign country. i don't know if there is an act to tak action against her but i think government should really think about doing it and charge this leech for condemning her own country outside malaysia. i have little respect for leeches like her. her citizenship should be revoked. by the way ask indonesian maid, malaysia is like heaven to them or else there won't be hundred of thousands of them in malaysia.
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6 comments:
Not to forget, she was awarded Right Livelihood Award which is prestigious and also she work towards a better community
I agree very much with Tunku
Time to act on those traitors so that the incident are not repeated.
She has to be punished with her citizenship revoked. One of the pillars of Rukun Negara is KESETIAAN kepada RAJA dan NEGARA
awarded by which donkey?
your englis very good tunku
do i care about my english? if my Malay is bad than it worries me because i am a Malay and a Malaysian.
Yes Irene has to be punished for her insensitive remarks! Or else she will keep doing this again and again tarnishing the country's reputation.
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