Thirty-four Nepali migrant workers who had flown to Malaysia in pursuit of employment opportunities about four days ago have been stranded at the airport since Saturday morning.

They had left Nepal on Friday. Among the stranded, 19 of them had flown to their destination through Balaju-based Innovative Services, an outsourcing company in Kathmandu. They learnt there that they had been ditched by the employing company. “It has been five days since we arrived here but no one has come to receive us,” said Birat Duwadi, a migrant worker from Dhading, over phone. “Let alone getting food, we haven’t even got water to drink due to language barrier. We have spent all our money already,” he added. 

According to Duwadi, 15 others who landed in Malaysia through other manpower companies the same day are also stranded. Malaysian police suspected they had fake visas and detained them, he said, pleading to be rescued.

Meanwhile, the concerned manpower company’s chief Hari Gurung could not be contacted. “As Saturday and Sunday are off days in Malaysia, the company will pick them up by Tuesday evening,” said Tek Adhikari, a manpower agent of Innovative Services.

Published on: 19 June 2013 | The Himalayan Times