KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign missions should do more to help their workers in Malaysia recover the arrears owed to them for work and other benefits, says a former Malaysian Bar president.
Ragunath Kesavan, who is also a commissioner with the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), said migrant rights over wage theft were being overlooked.
“On the ground, not many foreign missions are helpful. They are not interested in assisting their citizens and that is a fact.
“The workers are left to fend on their own (and) find their own lawyers while battling bureaucracy and also staying in the country to make claims against their employer,” he said during the Conference on Access to Justice for Migrant Workers here yesterday.
On the ground level, Ragunath said there was a lack of understanding of the issue despite the signing of numerous laws and international treaties.
“On the surface, various conventions have been ratified but these are not carried downwards where it matters most.
“For example, intergovernmental relations are not discussed in detail. Governments are more interested in trade, business and opening up industries, but in terms of workers’ rights – even those of their own workers – there is not much support,” he added.
He suggested, among others, for virtual courts to be implemented for victims of wage theft, making it easier for them to find justice while not having to remain in the country.
Ragunath said working relationships should also be made with Suhakam and their foreign counterparts to speed up the process of raising concerns.
“We have an MOU with the Nepalese human rights commissions. They assist us because they would be in a position to advise their government as well.
“The national human rights body of the various countries should have an MOU or some arrangement with Malaysia as a host country because it is extremely helpful,” he said.
Speaking at the conference, former wage theft victim Rowena Ocado said she was forced to survive on one meal a day when she was working in Macau at the start of the pandemic.
Her former employers had refused to pay her arrears, using Covid-19 as an excuse.
“We were on ‘No Pay Leave’ status from February 2020 until July 2021.
“When Covid-19 struck, my co-workers and I had to work odd jobs in addition to our work to survive.
“We would eat one meal a day and rely on Good Samaritans who own restaurants for food and who would see us after they closed for the day,” she said.
Ocado said her former manager had insisted that she and her colleagues sign a resignation letter that was dated before the stipulated end date of her work contract.
She refused and had her remaining work schedule withdrawn.
Ocado, who managed to recover the arrears after consulting Macau’s labour department, currently assists the Centre for Migrant Advocacy for matters relating to documentation.
