Nepalese riot at Cheras Heights hostel

KUALA LUMPUR- MORE than 1,000 Nepalese rioted at their hostel in Cheria Heights Apartment, Taman Bukit Cheras, here, on Wednesday night, smashing windows and throwing television sets out of the building.

The workers were venting anger at their former employer, Flextronics Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd, which had allegedly gone back on its word to repatriate them by the end of last month.

The workers were employed by the electronics giant at its factory in Klang in October last year, but were retrenched after two months.

Some of the workers interviewed yesterday claimed they had only worked for two weeks.

Navin Thapa, 21, who came to the country in October, said they had worked for more than a month when they were made redundant on Nov 8.

"On Jan 10, we were given two months' salary as compensation and we have been waiting for them to send us back home," he said, adding that they were supposed to have left by the end of last month.

Thapa said that living conditions were getting tougher as cash was running low and many of them were getting restless.

Another worker, who identified himself as Deepak, said: "We were fine with the temporary arrangements, but now things are taking too long.

"We have sent the bulk of our money home and we barely have anything left for ourselves."

In Wednesday's incident, the workers broke windows at the apartment building and threw out television sets, damaging several parts of the roof and corridors.

Other residents alerted police and the workers returned to their units at 3am.

A Flextronics spokesman said the company was looking into the repatriation issue of its former employees.

"We are working with the appropriate authorities, including the Immigration Department, to come to a solution."

He added that the company was doing everything within its power to ensure the safety of those living in the hostel.

- New Straits Times