During my week-long visit to Malaysia I witnessed the wretched plight of Nepali migrant workers there. Each of them has a painful story to share. I had only heard of hardships of Nepali migrant workers but when I saw it for myself it brought tears to my eyes. It shook me.

 

According to Nepal's embassy in Kuala Lumpur an estimated 700,000 Nepalis are currently working in Malaysia, both legally and illegally. Even those who work legally are harassed by police and company owners. You can imagine the hardships and struggles of those working there illegally. Nearly one fifth of Nepal's total migrant workers are employed in Malaysia, which accounts for one third of total remittance coming to Nepal.

 

In the recent times, the number of Nepali workers in Malaysia has declined following declining ringgit, high visa processing fee, and Nepal government's ruling to the employment agencies to provide free visa/ticket to aspirant workers; so many have chosen the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia over Malaysia.

 

A 2013 study by a team of National Human Rights Commission showed that most migrant workers were falsely counseled and provided fake documents by manpower agencies in Nepal. Malaysian police treat Nepali workers like animals. Workers regret coming to Malaysia right after landing in Kuala Lumpur.

 

Some of the migrant workers I talked with told me that they spent two nights at the airport without food and water as their employers did not turn up. When employers do not show up, the workers are held captive. The fate of Nepali women workers is no different. I learnt that most manpower companies in Kathmandu don't even inform companies in Malaysia of employee departure from Kathmandu.

 

Once they arrive at the companies their passport is taken away by employers, and contract paper signed with manpower agencies is altered. They told me they never received promised salary and perks. Some complained of not receiving overtime perks as well.

 

I met a man from Kapilvastu who had lost his hand while working. He said the company was reluctant to grant him leave, even though he was bleeding and writhing in pain. Workers require medical certificates to be eligible for long leaves but many migrant workers fail to make such certificates due to language barrier. So they have to work despite their poor health.

 

Workers are harassed and looted by local Tamil youths. Dambar Chaudhary of Kailali told me how thugs waited at the company door early in the morning to loot them. Rajesh Shrestha of Kathmandu was returning to his lodging quarters after getting his salary. One Tamil youth attempted to loot him as well as a Nepali woman from Makwanpur. Police do not register their complaints because they regard Nepali workers as bonded laborers.

 

After signing an agreement with Bangladesh to recruit 1.5 million workers, Malaysia, it is said, is reluctant to take in more Nepalis. One prominent minister of Malaysian cabinet recently told the media that Malaysia has put the process of recruiting migrant workers on hold. Thus it would be a mistake for Nepal to send migrant workers to Malaysia without reforms in foreign employment.

 

It is estimated that more than 300,000 Nepali migrant workers from Malaysia want to return to Nepal. Migrants sustained our economy even during the worst times of Indian economic blockade. If they return in huge number, at once, we will lose the mainstay of our economy—the remittance. Before this happens the government should create job opportunities for its youth in Nepal itself. National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) is in dire need of manpower for reconstruction works. Government should tap the human resources coming from Malaysia for this. After all, they will have acquired expertise in construction works while in Malaysia.

 

The author is a social activist and freelance writer