Employer to face court for failing to settle wages for Bangladeshi workers

 

More than 170 Bangladeshi migrant workers were arrested in Pengerang, Johor, last December after participating in a march to file a police report claiming they were duped into coming to Malaysia for non-existent jobs. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The company involved in a case of 733 Bangladeshi migrant workers who were duped into coming to Malaysia for non-existent jobs will be brought to court for failing to settle an award of over RM1 million in unpaid wages.

The human resources ministry said the firm was given 45 days to settle the outstanding salaries but that no payments were made.

“As a result, the labour department in Johor is now in the process of enforcing the award issued against the employer, through prosecution at the magistrates’ court under Section 69(4) of the Employment Act 1955,” it said in a statement.

The ministry also said that the company might be liable to a fine of up to RM50,000, if found guilty, in addition to the quantum of unpaid wages.

It said that 10 investigation papers had been opened against the company, of which four had received approval to proceed with prosecution. Further instructions have been received on the remainder.

The company’s quota for hiring foreign workers has also been cancelled, and it has been blacklisted from applying for new workers.

Meanwhile, 692 of the workers involved have been placed with new employers through the labour department.

In February, it was reported that the 733 Bangladeshi workers had been awarded more than RM1 million in unpaid wages in a settlement arranged by the Johor labour department.

The human resources ministry said the workers and their employer reached a mutual agreement for the total payment of RM1,035,557.50 in wages.

The payout amounts to an average of RM1,412 per worker. The workers, who were brought to Pengerang, Johor, are believed to have been out of work for three to six months.

In January, human resources minister Steven Sim said that 751 duped workers in Pengerang had filed a claim for RM2.21 million in unpaid wages.

Last December, 171 workers were arrested by the police after marching to file a police report about being duped.

The ministry said the workers were legally brought to Malaysia but were not provided with employment and were neglected after they arrived. - FMT