10,000 JOBLESS FOREIGNERS CAN POSE SECURITY PROBLEM: MTUC

PETALING JAYA, March 19 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Trades Union Congress
(MTUC) estimates that there are now 10,000 jobless legal foreign workers in the
country and fears that they may pose a grave security problem.

Its secretary-general, G. Rajasekaran, said Thursday the MTUC's field
research showed that most of these workers were either idle or looking around
for odd jobs and in desperation some might even resort to petty crimes.

The workers of various nationalities -- Bangladeshi, Indonesians, Myanmaris,
Indians and Pakistanis -- were either sacked without proper compensation or
simply abandoned by their employers, he told a news conference here.

To overcome the problem, he proposed that the government either repatriate
these workers who had legal documents or allow them to be redeployed in other
industries where their services could be utilised.

Rajasekaran said most of these workers were reluctant to go home because
some of them had been here for only about six months and still owed their
sponsors back home a substantial sum.

Each of these workers had to pay more than RM10,000 to their agents here and
in their home country to obtain the work permits and visas. (U$1=RM3.59)

Rajasekaran also called on the Home Ministry to investigate why regulations
were not followed when issuing visas to foreign workers.

He said the MTUC's own investigations had revealed that many of the
firms that were issued with permits were "two dollar" companies which did not
have any experience or skills to handle foreign worker recruitment.

"We suspect that something is amiss and needs to be thoroughly
investigated in the interest of the workers as well as the integrity and good
name of the country," he said.

On the increase in levy for workers in the services industry to discourage
employers from employing foreigners, he said this would not solve the problem as
the work conditions were so bad that it would not attract any locals.

Rajasegaran said workers in restaurants did not have a minimum wage and
worked more than the stipulated 12 hours per day and amenities were very poor.

"More than 20 workers sometimes share a room with only one small toilet,"
he said.

The only solution, he said, was for the Labour Department to beef up its
enforcement unit and intensify enforcement to ensure that employers adhered
to the laws and improved work conditions.

On the freeze on foreign workers, he said the MTUC supported the move
provided tht it was properly enforced and the government should ensure that no
illegal foreigners entered the country.
-- BERNAMA