PETALING JAYA: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said stated that there are over 2,000 deceived migrants in Pengerang.
She took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday (Dec 26) to inform that she had contacted Human Resources Minister Steven Sim regarding the situation in her constituency, after being informed that about 2,500 migrants are facing similar circumstances.
Azalina emphasized that the 171 Bangladeshi workers currently in Immigration Department detention since Dec 20 represent only a small fraction of the total number of deceived migrants.
She also stressed the need to hold the culprits behind this scam accountable and to carry out immediate investigations into who issued the permits that promised jobs that didn’t materialize.
On Monday (Dec 25), Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Hussin Zamora confirmed the arrest of 171 Bangladeshi workers who had walked to the Bayu Damai police station to lodge a report against their agent.
Supt Hussin stated that the workers were legally brought into Malaysia and that the agent has yet to provide them with work.
Supt Hussin recounted how they walked 10km to lodge a police report on Dec 20, only to be detained by the Immigration Department instead.
Subsequently, they were detained at the department’s headquarters in Setia Tropika for investigations under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Minister Steven Sim has since instructed the Human Resources Ministry to assist the workers in finding jobs on humanitarian grounds. This move was commended by Azalina in her X post.
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In her statement, Azalina stressed the importance of investigating the responsibility and role of all companies involved in exploiting and enticing legitimate migrant workers with false promises of work in Malaysia.
She voiced that these actions are crimes against humanity and must not be tolerated. It is crucial to take firm action against irresponsible businesses, she added.
I commend Human Resources Minister YB @scheekeong on extending assistance to migrant workers who have been allegedly duped by recruitment agents promising to secure them jobs.
As MP Pengerang, I had reached out to YB Steven Sim as I am told that about 2500 of these duped…
— Azalina Othman Said (@AzalinaOthmanS) December 26, 2023
