Friday, November 2, 2018

Malaysia :::"monopolisation and manipulation" of recruitment of workers from Bangladesh.

PRESS STATEMENT FROM MTUC PENANG DIVISION

MTUC Penang Division refers to the FMT  posting of today, with regards to the "monopolisation and manipulation" of recruitment of workers from Bangaldesh, and is shocked with  the revelation that Malaysian politicians and officials were paid bribes in the employment of workers from that country. It is also shocking that even Human Resoucres managers were bribed in the exercise!

We take cognisance of FMT's posting, citing the Daily Star newspaper of Bangladesh, as the source in the said matter.

According to the said newspaper's report the then home affairs minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi placed the monopoly, given to an IT company Synerflux, under the Official Secrets Act of our country.

MTUC Penang Division had registered its objection, to such an unjustified abuse of the home minister's power even then - see FMT posting of 17.3.2016 "Placing workers related contract under OSA a smoke screen".

In the light of this latest exposure MTUC Penang Division calls upon the authorities to, immediately, commence investigations to identify the goverment officials, human resourses managers and anyone else who were implicated in the matter. And, in our view, such investigations must include the then home minister YB Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and even government officials who have left service.

If the Daily Star of Bangladesh's report is of substances,  it would stand as testimony to the fact that workers of that country were subjected to exploitation that can only be best described as bonded labour and, that too, for the enrichment of politicians and civil servants of Malaysia.

MTUC Penang Division, having taken notice that the Dhaka High Court of Bangladesh, has ordered that an inter ministeral committee be form to investigate the matter with a deadline of 6 months hopes that the same urgency be adpoted by our government in the matter.

In conclusion MTUC Penang Division wishes to extend our salutations to the Daily Star newspaper of Bangladesh for its exposure of the said issue.


K.Veeriah
Secretary
Malaysian Trades Union Congress
Penang Division
016 4184529
1.11.2018