CNI News

7 Jan 2023

As Malaysia no longer provides well-paid jobs and has not hired Myanmar workers officially, Myanmar workers should not go to Malaysia, at least, for the moment, Myanmar communities in Malaysia told the CNI.

Although Malaysia has hired foreign workers officially at the moment, the government has not hired Myanmar workers, U Babu Gyi, who has been helping Myanmar workers in Malaysia, told the CNI.

He said, "I don't think it is time for Myanmar workers to come to Malaysia, which is not the same as before. Currently, the situation has not improved. It has stopped being a country where money was easily earned as before and there is a large number of foreign workers in the country. As they face labour shortages, they have not permitted Myanmar workers to work officially in the country. Only a few factories hired only about 50 or 100 Myanmar even when they liked them. So, Myanmar workers who come to Malaysia will face a lot of difficulties at the moment. I think Myanmar workers should go to other countries where the situation for Myanmar workers is better than Malaysia. Even if they do not earn as much as before, they can still survive with their basic salaries.

A factory in Malaysia.

It is said that Myanmar migrants in Malaysia are not as convenient as before.

Although there is no problem for Myanmar workers who work officially for Myanmar migrants in Malaysia, illegal migrants would be able to stay in the country if they had friends, Myanmar communities told the CNI.

Although they don't want to prevent Myanmar migrants not to work in Malaysia, it is necessary for them to study the situation on the ground properly, General Secretary U Chit Kaung of the Assistance Association for Myanmar migrant workers in Malaysia, told the CNI.

Detained Myanmar illegal workers in Malaysia.

He said," They have their friends in Malaysia, they will be able to stay in the country conveniently. If they do not have their friends there, they will face difficulty. It is important to be able speak Malaysian language and knowledge about the place they are staying. So, it is convenient for them to stay and work there. Otherwise, they will have difficulty."

The arrests of illegal migrants are still continuing and illegal Myanmar migrants are being detained daily in Malaysia, Myanmar communities in Malaysia told the CNI.

A garment factory in Malaysia.

Myanmar migrants going to Malaysia currently are those who had already received work permits before the pandemic and others are going to work in Malaysia illegally as refugees.

Therefore, Myanmar communities in Malaysia have urged Myanmar migrants to come to work in the country officially.