CNI News
24 July 2022
Hnalonehla Blood Donors’ Charity in Malaysia told the CNI that it recently urged Myanmar nationals who intend to illegally go to work in Malaysia not to come to the country at the moment because of the mass arrests of illegal migrant workers there.
For two years, Malaysia had allowed illegal workers to apply for repatriation, stay and work permits and completely stopped the program in June. Then, the country started rounding up illegal workers, Chairman Ko Thet of Hnalonehla Blood Donors’ Charity told the CNI.
Ko Thet said, “Authorities rounded up illegal workers in various places. Malaysia has stopped giving permission to legally work here and has been rounding up illegal workers. Those who illegally came from Myanmar to Malaysia via Thailand were frequently arrested. They stopped allowing illegal workers to return and combed various parts of the country for those who came to work illegally. The police from Kualalumpur were even sent to other parts of the country. Therefore, we have warned Myanmar nationals not to come to Malaysia at the moment. They launched the operation in June and will continue to round up illegal workers in July and August. When they have arrested a large number of illegal workers in two or three months, they usually stop their operations. I think they will stop the operations in September or October.”
Myanmar workers at a construction site in Malaysia.
Although some migrant workers managed to escape the arrests, a large number of them were detained by authorities and it is impossible to rescue those who were arrested after crossing the border, according to Ko Thet.
Ko Thet said, “When they have been arrested, they were sentenced to 3 to 6 months’ prison term. After serving the prison terms, they were sent to camps to wait to go back home. Some Myanmar illegal workers could not contact their families as they did not remember the phone numbers of their family members. When officials from the Myanmar Embassy came to interview them, they could give the addresses of their families and could go back by paying 900 ringgits fees (more than K 300,000) to embassy officials concerned. Then, they could go back to Myanmar after serving prison terms. Otherwise, it is very difficult for them to go back.”
The minimum wage of a Myanmar worker was increased from 1,200 ringgits (more than K 400,000) to 1,500 ringgits (more than K 600,00) recently and they can also earn overtime. It was learnt that the amount is a nice income for them.
Myanmar workers at a worksite in Malaysia.
Although it is better to work in Malaysia legally, a lot of people choose to go to work in Malaysia.
Moreover, it is necessary for illegal workers to look for safe places and to study the areas they stay.
Myanmar stopped sending workers to Malaysia as of March 2020 due to COVID-19 but has resumed it as Malaysia is offering jobs to Myanmar workers who used to work there.
However, Myanmar nationals in Malaysia warned those who want to work in Malaysia to look for official agencies as there are fake agencies and frauds.
