THE Penang division of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has urged the Government to establish a Migrant Workers Affair department within the Human Resources Ministry to deal with complaints and grievances of migrant workers in a more efficient manner.
Such a specialised sub-division would serve as the point of reference in all matters affecting migrant workers, said MTUC Penang secretary K. Veeriah.
“Millions of migrant workers, documented or otherwise, are keeping the country’s economic sectors in motion. Unfortunately, we are constantly reminded of the unfair treatment of the vulnerable migrant workers especially in matter such as forced labour indicators,” he added.
“Though such issues need to be comprehensively addressed, we have yet to establish a specialised platform to address the grievances, complaints and concerns of migrant workers.”
According to Veeriah, housing a migrant workers’ affairs department under a specialised sub-division within the Human Resources Ministry would provide for a specific point of reference in respect of issues involving migrant workers.
It would also ease the current workload of the officers at the Labour Department (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja) who are already overloaded with other responsibilities, he added.
“In establishing such a division we take the liberty to suggest that they be empowered to receive, investigate and prosecute delinquent employers in matters such as non-compliance with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) forced labour indicators and the Workers Minimum Standard Of Housing And Amenities Act, 1990 (Act 446).
“We believe that the establishment of [such a department] is within the jurisdiction the HR Minister and as such, we implore him to take the initiative to do so in the overwhelming interest of the millions of migrant workers who are immensely contributing to the economy of our country,” Veeriah concluded. – Dec 22, 2021
