Stop migrant worker recruitment fees, end modern slavery: LLRC

 

The Labour Law Reform Coalition (LLRC) has expressed its full support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s directive to stop using agents for the recruitment of migrant workers.

LLRC co-chairpersons N Gopal Kishnam and Irene Xavier said excessive recruitment fees to hire migrant workers are tantamount to modern slavery.

This also impacted the local economy and the country’s international image.

“Malaysia must learn its lesson from the US Customs ban of rubber glove products and subsequent reimbursement of tens of millions of recruitment fees to migrant workers,” they said in a joint statement today.

“Plenty of documented evidence shows migrant workers fall into ‘debt bondage’, needing to mortgage their properties in their country of origin or take high-interest loans to pay high recruitment fees before working in Malaysia.

“Many are under pressure to work excessive overtime to repay this debt,” they said, adding that working tirelessly caused many workplace accidents and sudden deaths.

LLRC co-chairpersons N Gopal Kishnam (left) and Irene Xavier

They also concurred with the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) that halting the use of agents can drastically reduce the recruitment cost of doing business in the country.

“We support any efforts to make the national economy more competitive.

“At the same time, the profits must be fairly shared between employers and workers in Malaysia.”

MEF president Syed Hussain Syed Husman was recently reported as saying that stopping the use of agents to hire migrant workers will cut recruitment costs by 80 percent.

He said this move to cut out the intermediary is “timely” as employers are struggling to manage the expenses of running their businesses. - Mkini