KUALA LUMPUR – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said says there are about 2,500 duped migrant workers in Pengerang.
In a post on X today, Azalina said that she had reached out to Human Resources Minister Steven Sim in her capacity as Pengerang MP when she was told there were over 2,500 duped migrants in her constituency.
“This is only the tip of the iceberg. The culprits behind this syndicate must be held accountable, and immediate investigations must be carried out on who issued these permits with no jobs available,” she said, referring to recent reports of 171 Bangladeshi workers in Kota Tinggi, Johor, who have allegedly been cheated by recruitment agents.
She said the responsibility and role of all companies involved should also be investigated to determine how legitimate migrant workers could be exploited and enticed with promises of work in Malaysia.
“These are crimes against humanity. We must not tolerate violations of human rights, including in the business sector. It is time to take firm action against irresponsible businesses,” she said.
Azalina also commended Sim for extending assistance to migrant workers who have been allegedly duped by recruitment agents, promising to secure them jobs.
Recently, the police have arrested hundreds of foreign workers who claimed to have been cheated by their job agent after being spotted walking in droves around Kota Tinggi, Johor.
Viral videos of these workers walking along the roadside surfaced on social media, triggering various reactions from netizens, who were mostly concerned about public safety.
The incident occurred on Wednesday (December 20) after hundreds of Bangladeshis were spotted walking on foot at the entrance of Teluk Ramunia Bayu Damai.
Earlier, Sim was reported as saying that the ministry would assist the Bangladeshi workers in Kota Tinggi and that it would also summon the employers mentioned in the foreigners’ document and the related agencies to assist in the investigation later this week. – December 26, 2023