The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) says that currently, there was no remedy for workers whose contract had been breached.

Suhakam commissioner Ragunath Kesavan also said that when the visas of foreign workers are withdrawn, they often endure various hurdles.

This included their employers tipping off the immigration department when they are sacked as the foreign workers are then detained and made to leave the country within a short period.

According to Ragunath, in such cases, the workers have a major hurdle to cross in trying to seek remedy from their former employers, such as in claiming unpaid wages.

“What avenue do these foreign workers have to fight their case? Do they have the resources to hire a lawyer?

“Do they have time to deal with the case?” he said at a conference on migrant workers here this morning.

Ragunath also suggested the government allow the affected workers to seek alternative employment here while waiting for their court cases to be settled which could take as long as one and a half years.

“In that one and a half years, how is the person supposed to live in this country?”

Alternatively, the former Bar Council president said the labour court could allow the trial to be conducted online so the workers could seek justice from their respective countries.

“If you can do it for civil cases, why can’t you do it for employment matters?”