33 migrant workers sue recruitment firm, govt over alleged job scam

foreign workers in dormitory — Migrant workers shown in a file pic of a workers’ dormitory. A group of 33 workers from Bangladesh alleged they were left stranded in 2023. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

A group of migrant workers from Bangladesh are suing a recruitment company and the government for leaving them jobless in Malaysia after an alleged job scam involving payment of tens of thousands of ringgit each in fees.

The 33 workers seek a court declaration that they were victims of human trafficking and a job scam.

In their statement of claim, the workers sought RM1.71 million in compensation from the company, made up of RM25,000 each in fees to a “recruiting agent”, and RM27,000 being 18 months’ promised salary of RM1,500 a month from October 2023 to March 2025.

They also seek payment of RM1,500 a month in promised salary from April 2025 until the disposal of the suit.

The workers also seek compensation from the government, a declaration that the authorities were negligent, and a court order to prevent their detention by the immigration department pending the disposal of the suit.

In the statement of claim, the workers said they were brought to Malaysia after being promised employment as construction workers and had been assured by the Bangladesh high commission in Malaysia of the authenticity of the job offers.

They said they were promised a monthly salary of between RM1,500 and RM2,500, but were asked to pay fees amounting to RM25,000 each to obtain quota approvals, levies, temporary work passes, health checks, and commissions for the job agents.

They said in the claim that they realised only later on that it was the responsibility of the employer to pay all these costs.

The workers said they arrived in Malaysia in batches between June and October 2023 but were left without a job.

They were asked to hand over their travel documents and passports, before being housed in several dormitories in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, which they said were owned by the company.

The workers said they later learned that the job offers were not genuine and they had to remain in the dorms for several months, being supplied with only basic necessities to cook for themselves.

The workers then lodged a complaint with migrant worker rights group Tenaganita, which led to an investigation by the labour department, according to the legal firm of Saleh & Aizac, which filed the suit at the High Court in Shah Alam in March.

Named in the suit as defendants are Meranti Binamas Sdn Bhd, the secretary-general of the human resources ministry, the director-general of immigration, and the government.

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33 migrant workers sue recruitment firm, govt over alleged job scam

In their suit, the workers say they were left stranded after paying RM25,000 each in recruitment fees for promised jobs with a monthly salary of up to RM2,500.