In a statement today, he called on Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg to make public information about the background, qualifications and work experience of the workers.
He also asked for proof that the company employing them had advertised for these positions and were unable to fill them with Sarawakian workers.
On March 7, Abang Johari said the 170 North Korean workers in Sarawak were mostly specialised workers working in the Selantik coal field in Sri Aman Division and on a hydro project in Lawas.
However, Ong said based on a visit to the Selantik coal mine on Sept 25, 2015, the North Koreans there did not appear to be specialist workers.
“I find it hard to believe that ‘specialist’ coal miners from North Korea would be willing to live in such basic and inhospitable living conditions which I saw at the mine.
“There is also nothing from my parliamentary reply to indicate that these coal miners were ‘specialist’ workers.”
Ong was referring to a parliamentary reply on June 17, 2015 regarding the number of North Korean workers then working in Malaysia.
The reply had stated that all of the North Korean workers in Malaysia were working in the construction and mining industries.
Given the country’s souring relations with North Korea, Ong said it was critical that Malaysia demonstrated to the global community that proper operating procedures were followed in the employment of the North Koreans in Sarawak.
“Failure to do so would put Malaysia in a negative light and may even cause a downgrade in Malaysia’s position in the US State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report,” he said.
Relations between Malaysia and North Korea have deteriorated since the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
However, Prime Minister Najib Razak says diplomatic ties with North Korea have not been severed.