Employers of foreign workers need to sign liability provision letter to avoid exploitation

KUALA LUMPUR: Beginning from January 2016, employers employing foreign migrants will have to sign a strict liability provision letter to take responsibility of their workers.
This comes in the wake of some errant employers exploiting their migrant workers, not paying them the minimum wage, not looking into their welfare and not even providing them with proper accommodation.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan warned that employers who exploit migrant workers can be penalised.
He said employers should be responsible for their workers and ensure they are properly paid, have proper accommodation as per the standards under the international Labour Association and not hold their passports.
He said there were employers who shift their foreign workers problems to the government.
"Even when their workers run away, they do not care and expect the government to find them," he said, adding probably a huge fine imposed on these errant employers would act as a deterrent and make employers more responsible.
"Over the past 18 months the government with 14 agencies have come up with several measures to deal with migrant workers. We hope concrete measures will be used to solve issues," he said when commemorating the Human Rights Day 2015, organised by Suhakam, Global Movement of Moderation Foundation, Malaysian Bar Council, and United Nations Malaysia today.
He also called on government departments and organisations to ensure that human rights is made a priority in their operations.
"Human rights unfortunately, is taken as a fringe issue and not taken as a priority. But for Malaysia to lead in international politics, trades and relationship, (Human rights) is important, and has to be integrated with good ethics and integrity," he said.
On another issue, Low said, the police need to have a change in mindset when dealing with detainees to reduce custodial deaths.
"The police focuses on toughness and enforcing the law, but ignore the rights of the individuals arrested – which leads to custodial deaths," he said.
He noted while police have to deal with a lot of detainees, including being verbally berated and spat at, they need to restrain themselves and ensure those under their custody are in good hands.
Low proposed that ensuring the rights of the detainees should be part of the police training.
He also welcomed civil society organisations (CSO) cooperation and engagement with the government in solving various issues, especially those that can be resolved by civil departments.
He said it was time for these CSOs not to just criticise, but provide solutions and help solve problems.