25 March 2024
On Today Show
— Soleman, Residents of West Kalimantan – Daughter Deceived into Work in Kuching: Father's Journey from Kalimantan to Rescue
— Peter John Jaban, Deputy president of the Global Human Right Federation (GHRF) – Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery: The Dark Reality for Migrant Workers in Sarawak
— Wendy Dara, Sintang West Kalimantan Indonesia – An Indonesian worker who was cheated by a fake employment agency in Sarawak
— Sivaranjani Manickam, National Workers Bureau Coordinator, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) – Voices of the Vulnerable: Bangladeshi Workers Speak Out Against Exploitation
— Mr. Nichol from Kuching – The PADU Puzzle: GPS Government's Rejection and Its Impact on Sarawakians
Topik Pada Hari Ini
— Soleman, Penduduk Kalimantan Barat – Anak Perempuan Diperdaya Bekerja di Kuching: Perjalanan Ayah dari Kalimantan untuk Menyelamatkan
— Peter John Jaban, Naib Presiden Pertubuhan Hak Asasi Manusia Global (GHRF) – Pengembaraan dan Perhambaan Moden: Realiti Gelap bagi Pekerja Migran di Sarawak
— Wendy Dara, Sintang Kalimantan Barat Indonesia – Seorang pekerja Indonesia yang ditipu oleh agensi pekerjaan palsu di Sarawak
— Sivaranjani Manickam, Koordinator Biro Pekerja Kebangsaan, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) – Suara Orang Rentan: Pekerja Bangladesh Bicara Menentang Eksploitasi
— Encik Nichol dari Kuching – Teka-teki PADU: Penolakan Kerajaan GPS dan Impaknya ke atas Orang Sarawak
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*Special Randau*
1. What is the trick of the Sarawak Government to delay the registration of PADU in Sarawak. Are you afraid of the revelation that the high poverty rate in Sarawak shows the failure of GPS to govern Sarawak. Or with the success of PADU, the people of Sarawak will benefit and support Anwar's administration and GPS will lose the election? YB Rafizi - the economy minister will meet the GPS government this week.
2. Fake foreign worker agents manipulate Indonesians who come looking for work in Sarawak. Peter John revealed that these Indonesian workers were not cared for their welfare and were not given jobs and wages as promised. He asked to go through a legitimate employment agent.
3. PMX support offer - It was actually Wan Saiful Wan Jan who asked for a bribe. MP Tanjung Karang Zulkafperi revealed that Wan Saiful actually asked for 6 things: (1)RM1.7 allocation for the area (2)A project worth RM2 million (3)Payment for Wan Saiful's wife's chemotherapy treatment (4)Legal fees for court cases (5)Tokens with unspecified limits and (6) court case aborts. Wan Saiful faces 18 charges of money laundering amounting to RM5.59 million and 2 charges of corruption related to the Jana Wibawa program.
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Soleman, Residents of West Kalimantan
*Daughter Deceived into Work in Kuching: Father's Journey from Kalimantan to Rescue*
Soleman is from West Kalimantan, his journey to Kuching, Sarawak, began with a desperate quest to find his missing daughter, Sesilia Putri. His heart heavy with worry, he turned to his friend, Peter John Jaban, for help.
Soleman's search for his daughter started with a woman named Sendi, whom he had only known from Balai Ringin. Sendi had promised Sesilia a job at a coffee shop or restaurant in Kuching, with a monthly salary of RM1,500, accommodation, and meals provided. However, after arriving in Kuching, Sendi handed Sesilia over to an agent named Roni, who confiscated her passport and phone.
Sesilia managed to hide another phone and contacted her father, revealing that she was forced to work long hours as a housemaid without pay for three months, as her salary had been taken by the agent. She also expressed fear of working without a permit.
With this information in hand, Soleman bravely made a police report, detailing the deception and exploitation his daughter had faced. He provided crucial information, including the contact numbers of the agents involved, in the hope that the authorities would investigate and take action.
Soleman's determination to save his daughter from this unjust situation led him to Kuching, Sarawak, armed with his police report and a fervent hope for justice.
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Peter John Jaban, Deputy president of the Global Human Right Federation (GHRF)
*Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery: The Dark Reality for Migrant Workers in Sarawak*
Peter reports that cases like those reported by Soleman often occur in Sarawak. Indonesian workers are promised high wages with attractive jobs in Sarawak Malaysia, but in the end they were sold from one agent to another. What GHRF can do is report the case to the police, immigration and even the Indonesian consulate in Kuching.
-For us at GHRF this is a case of manipulation of migrant workers, human trafficking and modern slavery. It is wrong in the law. I remind Indonesian workers who want to work in Malaysia to check with the consulate to ensure a valid employment agent. All personal documents are complete and have a work permit. Never come to work in Malaysia using a social visit pass. I will help Soleman to trace and bring his daughter back to Indonesia. - Said Peter John.
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Wendy Dara, Sintang West Kalimantan Indonesia
*An Indonesian worker who was cheated by a fake employment agency in Sarawak*
Wendy Dara comes from Sintang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. She entered Sarawak three weeks ago to work in a restaurant in the city of Kuching, with a starting salary of RM1500. An employee agent named Cindy is responsible for placing several employees at different job locations. A problem arose for Wendy Dara when she was not eligible to work in a restaurant because she did not have a passport. While at the beginning when brought in it was said that it was not necessary to use a passport and work permit to work in Sarawak, Malaysia. Then this agent placed Wendy in several workplaces such as taking care of the elderly, taking care of children, or becoming a social worker. But the job that was offered was not what was promised at the beginning. Some conditions are imposed by the agent, such as not being able to use the telephone, not being able to hold cash (salary directly credited to the account), and having to work for at least 2 years before being allowed to go home.
- I realize that I have been cheated by some employment agents based in Sarawak. I'm stuck looking for a way to return to Sintang, Indonesia because I don't have a passport – Wendy Dara said.
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Sivaranjani Manickam, National Workers Bureau Coordinator, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
*Voices of the Vulnerable: Bangladeshi Workers Speak Out Against Exploitation*
Recently, three Bangladeshi workers were arrested last Friday under the pretense of a quarrel among themselves. However, the real issue stems from the exploitation of over 160 workers brought to Malaysia last October by Beak Construction Company. These workers were promised jobs, salaries, and accommodation, but to date, they have received none of these. Instead, they have been living in terrible conditions for the past seven months, with inadequate food and overcrowded accommodations.
Upon realizing their predicament, the workers contacted PSM and other NGOs for help. PSM assisted around 50 workers in lodging a police report against the employer who was holding their passports. They also sought assistance from the Labour Department to claim their unpaid salaries.
In an attempt to suppress the workers and deter them from pursuing their rights, the employer orchestrated a confrontation among the workers and then surrendered three of them to the police. This action was intended to intimidate the remaining workers.
It is crucial to note that withholding workers' passports is illegal under the Immigration Act and constitutes a criminal offense. Despite PSM lodging a police report on 12 March, the employer has not been arrested, highlighting a double standard in law enforcement.
PSM urges the authorities to release the three Bangladeshi workers, as they have no legitimate case against them. The government must take proactive measures to protect vulnerable migrant workers and hold irresponsible employers accountable. This includes setting up a task force to address issues of exploitation and abuse of migrant workers.
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Mr. Nichol from Kuching
*The PADU Puzzle: GPS Government's Rejection and Its Impact on Sarawakians*
Mr. Nichol explained that it is detrimental to every citizen if they do not want to register with PADU. Why should they be afraid to fill it in if they really want to receive government assistance?
He has tried to convince many people not to hesitate about PADU. The Sarawak government does not instruct its people to fill out PADU because they have things they are hiding from the federal government.
Lately, the people have been frightened by GPS that the information in PADU is like exposing themselves, but Mr. Nichol firmly states that GPS actually does not want it to be known that all the funds from the federa government have not really been distributed to the people, meaning that GPS has been misusing the federal government's finances. Indeed, GPS members will not fill out PADU because they are afraid their wealth will be known. The MADANI government is doing its utmost to help the people, but GPS's instigation has frightened the people.