The National Human Rights Society (Hakam) also urged the government to stop relegating its obligation to protect the rights of migrant workers in Malaysia.

The Special Independent Committee on Foreign Worker Management was formed in August 2018. Chaired by former Court of Appeal judge Mohd Hishamudin Yunus, it submitted its report in February 2019.

In June 2019, the human resources ministry denied allegations that the government was reluctant to publicise the committee’s report. At the time, the ministry said that nothing was set in stone.

Several NGOs have since called on the government to release the findings of the report.

Given the “undeniably immense contribution to the economy” by migrant workers, Hakam deputy-president M Ramachelvam said, they deserve the same amount of respect and protection as frontliners.

“During lockdown, migrant workers served alongside Malaysians in essential services to make our lives more bearable,” he said in a statement today.

He said that although these workers had long been subject to discrimination and exploitation, things truly came to a head during the pandemic.

“The migrant population has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with many stranded without income when their companies closed permanently, while others declared bankruptcy.”

He said given the border closures and travel bans, many migrants were trapped here without a way out.

“Hakam observed that xenophobia had hit an all-time high in Malaysia during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many anti-migrant statements and policies compounding their woes.”

Ramachelvam also called the Covid-19 clusters originating from immigration detention centres a “regrettable” result of immigration raids during lockdown.

In addition to publicising the report, Hakam listed several suggestions to the government in protecting the rights of migrant workers, including expediting the release and repatriation process of all detained migrants.

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