No more excuses, introduce law to protect migrant workers
Published: Apr 16, 2001 6:58 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Human rights group Suaram today urged the government to stop
making excuses and introduce a Bill to protect migrant workers.
"It is joint responsibility of the government, recruiting agencies and employers to ensure conditions are humane for migrant workers. We have failed miserably in this respect," said Suaram coordinator Elizabeth Wong.
Wong was responding to recent reports of domestic helpers being seriously beaten by their employers. In one case, Indonesian maid Nurjanah Matyak was physically tortured by her employer for over a year. Another 18-year-old Indonesian maid was raped by her employer five times.
Human Resources Minister Fong Chan Onn announced yesterday that abused maids may get compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act 1952. But that is not good enough, said a number of NGOs which have worked to protect the interests of migrant workers.
Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez told malaysiakini that her organisation had submitted proposals to the government as early as 1985 to address the exploitation of migrant workers.
"We proposed that domestic maids be considered workers and be protected under the Employment Act, but we have not received a response," she said.
Irene, a KeADILan supreme council member, is currently facing charges of spreading "false news" after she exposed the deaths and maltreatment of illegal migrant workers in detention camps. Her trial, which began in 1996, continues today and is considered one of the longest trial in Malaysian legal history.
In addition, a number of NGOs had in 1996 proposed the 1997 Migrant Workers Bill but it has yet to be implemented by the government.
According to Wong, the government should also ratify the United Nations Convention to protect migrant workers.
"It is time for the government to cast away their usual excuses and ratify the International Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families," she said.
The convention promotes universal human rights for all, including protection against torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; protection against slavery; protection against forced labour; right to freedom of thought, conscience, opinion and expression.
"Malaysian employers have shown their ugly side, time and time again, that domestic helpers are no more than slave labour. Their wages are minuscule, their work hours long. Many do not have time off to rest or to go out," said Wong.
"Undoubtedly, no Malaysian would entertain working in those sorts of conditions whether here or anywhere else; yet we expect other nationals to suffer these indignities."
Wong said that if the government is serious about abusive practices, it should take immediate steps to sign and ratify the UN convention to protect migrant workers.
"It is joint responsibility of the government, recruiting agencies and employers to ensure conditions are humane for migrant workers. We have failed miserably in this respect," said Suaram coordinator Elizabeth Wong.
Wong was responding to recent reports of domestic helpers being seriously beaten by their employers. In one case, Indonesian maid Nurjanah Matyak was physically tortured by her employer for over a year. Another 18-year-old Indonesian maid was raped by her employer five times.
Human Resources Minister Fong Chan Onn announced yesterday that abused maids may get compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act 1952. But that is not good enough, said a number of NGOs which have worked to protect the interests of migrant workers.
Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez told malaysiakini that her organisation had submitted proposals to the government as early as 1985 to address the exploitation of migrant workers.
"We proposed that domestic maids be considered workers and be protected under the Employment Act, but we have not received a response," she said.
Irene, a KeADILan supreme council member, is currently facing charges of spreading "false news" after she exposed the deaths and maltreatment of illegal migrant workers in detention camps. Her trial, which began in 1996, continues today and is considered one of the longest trial in Malaysian legal history.
In addition, a number of NGOs had in 1996 proposed the 1997 Migrant Workers Bill but it has yet to be implemented by the government.
According to Wong, the government should also ratify the United Nations Convention to protect migrant workers.
"It is time for the government to cast away their usual excuses and ratify the International Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families," she said.
The convention promotes universal human rights for all, including protection against torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; protection against slavery; protection against forced labour; right to freedom of thought, conscience, opinion and expression.
"Malaysian employers have shown their ugly side, time and time again, that domestic helpers are no more than slave labour. Their wages are minuscule, their work hours long. Many do not have time off to rest or to go out," said Wong.
"Undoubtedly, no Malaysian would entertain working in those sorts of conditions whether here or anywhere else; yet we expect other nationals to suffer these indignities."
Wong said that if the government is serious about abusive practices, it should take immediate steps to sign and ratify the UN convention to protect migrant workers.
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