Govt signs MoU on workers’ rights with Cambodia

KUALA LUMPUR: The Govern­ment has signed another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the recruitment and employment of domestic workers and foreign labour, this time with Cambodia.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot signed the papers with his counterpart from Cam­bodia, Ith Samheng, yesterday.

Riot said the MoU was aimed at protecting the rights of workers and was in accordance with ­national legislation and inter­national labour principles.

“This year, Malaysia also signed MoUs with eight other countries: Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia. The purpose of these MoUs is to prevent any forced labour and trafficking of persons,” he told a press conference.

Under the terms of the MoU, a contract of employment will be prepared in the employee’s native language, which both parties must sign.

Recruitment will only be done through licensed recruitment agencies and ­employers will not be allowed to hold the passport of the worker or domestic worker except for certain purposes such as medical examinations or visit pass renewals.

“The passport has to be returned after these things are completed,” Riot said.

The MoUs also provide for repatriation mechanisms that include the settling of wages.

He urged employees who had issues with their employers to approach the Labour Department and make a complaint.

There are currently 8,000 registered workers from Cambodia, of which 3,000 are domestic workers.

“If anybody flouts the law, action will be taken,” said Riot, adding that he believed the MoU would equally benefit employers and their ­workers.

He also commented on the issue of minimum wage for Indonesian domestic workers, saying that they were still waiting for an update.

“We have not received the date of meeting from that end,” he said.