KUALA LUMPUR – The Johor employer of 733 migrant workers who were tricked into coming to Malaysia but not provided employment, will pay them over RM1 million in unpaid wages, the Human Resources Ministry announced.
Hailing it as a landmark case, the ministry said the sum of RM1,035,557.50 was reached as part of a mutual agreement in proceedings mediated by the Johor labour department on February 5.
“The proceedings were attended by the employer and workers, and witnessed by an officer from the Bangladesh embassy. Both parties reached an agreement for RM1,035,557.50 in unpaid wages to the workers,” the ministry said in a statement.
The workers will also be placed with new employers under a special programme called Proses Pertukaran Majikan (PTM), the ministry added.
“This is a landmark case that will be referred to in future labour disputes because it involves bringing in foreign workers legally, but they are neglected and not given jobs when they arrive.
“Guilty employers will be blacklisted and their remaining quota for foreign workers will be cancelled,” the ministry added.
The case came to light after 171 Bangladesh nationals with valid work permits were filmed walking along a road in Pengerang, Johor, in December last year.
They were on their way to a police station to lodge reports against their employer for failing to provide them work since their arrival three months prior.
After investigations, the Immigration Department blacklisted the company, barring them from conducting any transactions to apply for new foreign workers or to renew permits for existing workers.
As a measure to overcome similar problems, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim and Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail jointly announced that foreign workers will be allowed to change employers according to manpower needs in certain sectors such as agriculture and plantations. – February 8, 2024