Activist: Over 100 Bangladeshi workers in Cheras left jobless

Over 100 Bangladeshi migrant workers are allegedly in limbo in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur for over three months after jobs promised to them failed to materialise, said migrant rights activist Andy Hall.

In a report written by Hall, he said the 104 workers - who have been left jobless since arriving in the country in November last year - were recruited by a construction company based in Cheras.

The report said the workers had paid exorbitant recruitment fees - ranging between RM19,500 and RM21,700 - and were promised good facilities and high-paying jobs.

Most of the workers, the report wrote, have resorted to borrowing money from various sources to afford the fees, subsequently plunging them into significant debt bondage.

One of the workers interviewed by Hall said his financial challenges have piled up and his hopes to earn more to support his family have shattered.

“I’m running into debt. I am unable to pay monthly instalments which I promised when I borrowed money from different sources.

“Lenders are threatening my family,” the worker was quoted as saying.

The report also wrote that the workers are living in a confined space with only one toilet facility for over 100 workers.

It also highlighted that there’s inadequate food for the workers where they are given a fixed menu of rice, lentils and mashed potatoes and would be left without food for up to four days.

Another worker claimed he was not given food for up to four days as punishment after he had asked for updates on the expected job.

Threat of violence

The workers also mentioned that they witnessed and experienced physical and verbal abuse by their employers or the company’s representatives.

“A recounted of the employer’s representative’s violent outbursts, including physical assaults and verbal tirades, perpetuating a climate of fear and intimidation.

“In addition to physical and verbal abuse, workers are subjected to menacing threats, creating an environment of extreme fear and insecurity,” Hall said.

The aforementioned representative, Hall wrote, is also one of the “Bangladeshi bosses” and has been reported to have issued chilling death threats, instilling terror among the workers.

The workers' passports were also confiscated by their employers upon arrival, leaving them vulnerable and unable to assert their rights or seek help.

“The threat of violence and harm, coupled with the workers’ vulnerable status, underscores the dire need for immediate intervention and protection measures to ensure their safety and well-being.”

Meanwhile, the report also said that 18 workers have been moved to Terengganu by the employers where the new accommodation houses about 300 workers who are mostly allegedly jobless and undocumented.

Hall has since written to the Human Resources Minister Steven Sim and related officials at the Home Ministry to investigate these new allegations and hold those responsible for any violations of law accountable.

He also urged the ministries to provide the necessary support and assistance to the affected workers, including remediation, without delay.

“Immediate intervention is necessary to provide these workers and victims of an alleged syndicate with basic rights, including employment, freedom of movement, access to healthcare, and the return of their legal documents,” he said.

Malaysiakini has reached out to Sim and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail for comment. - Mkini