G25 Statement on Labour Rights and Foreign Workers

G25 sends its compliments to His Excellency the British High Commissioner and His Excellency the US Ambassador in Kuala Lumpur for pointing out to Putrajaya, as reported in the media, that Malaysia should get serious on promoting a decent wage labour policy for workers, which means implementing seriously its own legislation against abuse and exploitation of worker rights, a form of modern-day slavery. The two envoys are reported to have pointed out to our government that their countries have tough legislation that penalise employers who violate human rights principles. They also impose punitive trade sanctions on foreign companies that export their goods using forced labour.

G25 recalls the government has often declared its intention to raise wage levels for Malaysian labour through productivity increases and that to facilitate this, the government will promote more use of technology to replace the labor-intensive methods of production. Industries will be more motivated to shift towards greater use of technology if they believe the government will apply the law strictly on employers who exploit their foreign workers with low wages, unfair working conditions and unhygienic accommodation. As long ago as the 9th Malaysia Plan 2006-2010, the government had expressed its intention to raise labour productivity and working conditions.

More recently, the previous Pakatan Harapan Government appointed an Independent Committee to inquire into the recruitment and management of foreign workers. This Committee was chaired by Dato’ Seri Mohd Hishamudin Yunus, a retired Court of Appeal judge. Dato’ Noor Farida Ariffin, a former sessions court judge, senior federal counsel in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and retired diplomat, was the Deputy Chairman of the Committee. Both are members of G25. They are deeply disappointed that the Committee’s Report, although completed and duly submitted to the Government in early 2019, yet until today has not been released to the public and tabled in parliament; in spite of the fact that one of the recommendations of the Committee is for the Government to make the Report public. G25 respectfully urge the Government to make public the Report as recommended by the Independent Committee as soon as possible as a first step in manifesting the Government’s sincerity and commitment to addressing and solving the problems connected with the recruitment, management, and employment of foreign workers; followed subsequently by implementing the Committee’s recommendations.

Moreover, COVID-19 showed clear linkages between the impact of the pandemic on foreign workers and the structural causes of the inequalities and vulnerabilities embedded in many current labour migration processes and practices that not only heightened the risk of infection for these workers but also contributed to the overall size and severity of the pandemic in Malaysia.

G25 agrees with the envoys of the United Kingdom and the United States that Malaysia must show a real commitment with real actions to implement its own stated plans, improve worker wages and enforce strictly the law protecting labour rights of all workers, local and foreign.