Malaysia employer framed Bangladeshi workers

Three Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia were framed in a case that led to their arrests for defying pressure to withdraw complaints they lodged with the police and labour department against their employer.

This was stated in a case filed by the Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM) with Kuala Lumpur police on March 24, after the three workers were released on bail.

The three workers are Jahirul Islam, Maruf Hossen, and Mofiz Sheikh. They were recruited by Beaks Construction and Suria Harmoni seven months ago and were living at the SR Hostel and Residence Sdn Bhd at Jalan Abdul Rahman Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur.

The statement said over 600 workers paid around Tk 500,000 each through a syndicate of 100 recruiting agencies for jobs that will pay them RM 15,00 (Tk 37,000) each as basic salary. However, recruited by the above mentioned companies, they were not being paid.

Even their passports were withheld, said the case statement.

The statement said, facing this situation, the workers made formal complaints against the companies to the Malaysian labour department and police seeking redress of their problems.

However, their complaint didn't go well with the employing companies.

According to the statement, around 1:00am on March 21, a Bangladeshi worker named Khairul Islam, who is close to the companies, started shouting at all the workers at the hostel telling the workers that their complaint won't bring any change to their fate.

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When Jahirul Islam asked Khairul not to confuse the workers, the latter got angry and attacked Jahirul Islam.

As the two were engaged in a scuffle, Maruf Hossen and Mofiz Sheikh tried to calm down the situation. Meanwhile, the hostel's security guard Elias contacted the employer's representatives named Phal and Encik Fikri.

The police report said at approximately 1:30am, Fikri and several policemen rushed to the hostel. Jahirul explained their problem and showed the police report made by them. After that, police left the hostel.

The case statement said that Phal and Fikri then threatened Jahirul Islam, Maruf Hossen and Mofiz Sheikh to withdraw the police report and outstanding salary claims.

"Mr Fikri also said 'you all still have time, I wait here. Decide whether you want to withdraw or not. If you don't withdraw, I will call the police again. All three employees did not agree to withdraw the complaints," according to the case statement.

After that, Fikri together with Elias and Khairul Islam took Jahirul Islam, Maruf Hossen and Mofiz Sheakh to the Dang Wangi Police Station at about 3:30am. There too, Fikri continued to threaten the three workers to withdraw the complaints.

"When the three workers refused to do so, Fikri used Khairul Islam to file a police report against the three workers, alleging that these three workers had assaulted him. Although the workers were taken to the police station at 3:30 in the morning, Khairul lodged the complaint  almost 12 hours later."

When brought before the magistrate, the three workers were sent to a four-day remand. They were released on verbal bail at 2:30pm on March 22.

However, the three alleged that their mobile phones were taken by the employer.

"We, PSM, made this police report because the three workers who were released voiced their concerns about their safety and security when they returned to the hostel."

Once they arrived at the hostel, they were told at the entrance that the employer had removed the names of the three workers from the list of the hostel occupants. Their personal belongings are still in the hostel premises, but they have been prevented from re-entering the hostel.

According to the case statement, personal belongings of the three workers, mobile phones, passports, and other identification documents are still held by the employer.

PSM said they have communicated with the Ministry of Human Resources over the unpaid salary issue. Police is yet to act on recovering the personal belongings of the three workers.

"The PSM also wants to know what action has been taken against the employer for holding the employees' original passports which is a criminal offence. We also want a neutral and independent investigation."