SUARAM is deeply disturbed with the plan of the Selangor state government to collect RM10 monthly fee from all migrant workers in the state of Selangor. The new policy was announced by the Mentri Besar of the newly formed Selangor state government, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim recently at a press interview with the Chinese press.

According to him, the money collected will be used for the purpose of setting up a re-training fund for unemployed youths to equip them with more skills and in the long run reduce the reliance on migrant workers.

The migrant workers community is one of the most exploited and most marginalized groups in society. They work in conditions described as 3Ds – dirty, demeaning and dangerous, and theirs are jobs which the locals shun.

They receive low wages and are often exploited by employers or recruitment agencies for non-payment, unjust deduction of salary, long working hours, unfair dismissal etc.

By taxing the migrant workers who are barely surviving and probably in debt in order to pay the exorbitant fees to come to work in Malaysia, an extra heavy burden is added on the migrant workers and their families. And to use the money collected from the migrant workers to re-train local unemployed youth and eventually replace the migrant workers, is scandalous, to say the least.

Even if the monthly fee is to be paid by the employer and not the migrant workers, we are concerned that eventually this fee will be deducted from the migrant worker’s wages one way or another.

Keadilan (PKR) has espoused the principle of justice and won a huge victory with the pledge to the people to fight against the widening income gap between the “have” and the “have-nots”.

Certainly, taxing the poor migrant workers to assist local unemployed youth, does not measure up to the principle and spirit of justice.

Suaram calls on the Mentri Besar to withdraw this unjust policy.

We also urge him to consult civil society organisations who are working on migrant workers issues before making any policy decisions in the future.

YAP SWEE SENG,
Executive Director, SUARAM.

Source: The Star – March 28, 2008