Former Malaysian MP calls on govt to respond to UNHRC report on Bangladeshi workers rights violation
In the statement, the UN experts said Bangladeshi migrants were being recruited by fake companies and made to pay exorbitant recruitment fees to come into Malaysia, pushing them into debt bondage
A former Malaysian member of parliament, Charles Santiago, has urged the Malaysian government to respond immediately to scathing criticism from a team of UN experts over the country's failure to protect foreign workers from exploitation.
In a statement issued last Friday, experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) expressed dismay over reports detailing the "dire humanitarian situation" faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers, citing instances of "exploitation, criminalisation, and other human rights abuses."
Charles Santiago described the government's failure to respond as "appalling" and "problematic," as reported by Free Malaysia Today (FMT) yesterday.
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He highlighted the report could significantly impact the country's ability to attract foreign investment and warned of the risk of overseas export bans.
"This is something that has to be dealt with at the highest levels of government," he said.
"You (the government) have to articulate what actions you intend to take and how you plan to combat this. Remaining silent is not an option," the former three-term MP told FMT.
Santiago said the government must show political will to address the issues raised in the UN statement.
In the statement, the UN experts highlighted that Bangladeshi migrants were being recruited by fake companies and forced to pay exorbitant recruitment fees to enter Malaysia, often leading them into debt bondage.
The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment of Bangladesh is currently reviewing allegations made by the UN and human rights activists regarding various forms of deception faced by Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia.
