A study report of the International Relations and Labour Committee (IRLC) of the Legislature-Parliament has said that Nepali workers are facing unnatural death in Malaysia due to low standard and unmanaged accommodation service being provided to them.

To address this problem, the committee has recommended the government to request the Malaysian government to implement a provision which requires companies providing employment to provide housing service as per international standard. Nepali foreign employment agencies have also been saying that lack of proper housing service, trend of workers spending nights in common rooms in large groups, and consumption of low grade alcohol are some reasons for workers dying.

The government statistics show that a total of 274 Nepali workers — including 48 ‘natural deaths’ — have died in Malaysia in the first eight months of the current fiscal year. The number of individuals losing their life this year is up by 36 per cent as compared to 201 death cases recorded in the same period of last fiscal year.

Stating that since workers are under the observation of the employers round the clock, it has urged the government to lobby for insurance of workers covering 24 hours. Normally, Malaysian companies provide insurance for eight hours, the standard working period.

As a remedy to address different woes of Nepali workers in Malaysia, the IRLC has suggested the government to sign a labour pact with Malaysia at the earliest. The study based on the observation visit of a six-member team under the coordination of IRLC Chairman Prabhu Sah in Malaysia, has concluded that lack of memorandum of understanding (MoU), absence of legal consultancy service for Nepalis in Malaysian jails, and lack of any provision of monitoring employers and recruiting agencies are major problems.

Similarly, as per the report, there is lack of knowledge among Nepali workers about Malaysian culture and law. “There are an estimated 900,000 Nepalis working in Malaysia but so far there is no MoU between the two countries,” said Sah. He added that the signing of MoU would help ensure rights of workers and their safety.

Malaysia absorbs the largest number of Nepali workers. However, despite the government’s plan to sign MoU since 2007, it has not materialised so far. Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) officials said that a draft of an agreement that covers all workers sent by Malaysia has been already been checked, and sent back to Malaysia about a month ago with some new clauses incorporated.

As there are many cases of manpower agencies and agents collecting huge service charge for Malaysia bound workers, the government has also been suggested to take action against them and limit the expenses of workers eyeing jobs in Malaysia to government fixed Rs 80,000.

Some problems identified by the study are the misbehaviour of Malaysian security personnel and workers getting looted during the time when salaries are disbursed. It also pointed out that even after keeping the passports employers do not issue proper identity cards. Another major problem at times is workers are arrested due to the failure of the employers to renew workers’ visas.

The report also mentioned of problems of Nepali and Malaysian medical institutions having differing views over the same disease. The monopoly of Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (FOMENA) during medical tests has also been identified as another main problem.

The report said that some other problems are that salaries have not been revised as per changing times. The imposition of visa, medical and insurance fees, and charges for accommodation, water and electricity have also been hurting workers.

Due to the increase in the number of workers in Malaysia, the study has also suggested the government to allocate more resources to the Nepali embassy there. As per IRLC, the embassy should also be given the authority to attest the demand letter of Malaysian employers.

Published on: 6 April 2015 | The Himalayan Times