Malaysian labour market set to be closed again due to syndication

The Malaysian government is not approving any new application for the recruitment of foreign workers, sources at the expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry have said.

Those who have already got approval have to submit applications for visa by 31 March. And those who have received a visa or will get have to enter Malaysia by 31 May.

However, expatriates welfare and overseas employment state minister Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury said there will be no problem to send workers to Malaysia. "We have a good relations with Malaysia."

The Malaysian labour market opened after four years of suspension. However, the responsibility of recruitment of workers was given to the old syndicate. Thousands of migrants have been cheated after arrival in Malaysia. Finding no jobs months after months, they are now leading an inhuman life. On the contrary, the syndicate, which controls the labour market, has embezzled huge amounts of money.

The Malaysian labour market was closed in September 2018 on allegations that a syndicate of 10 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies indulged in corruption. After negotiation for long, the labour market was opened in August 2022. A movement was launched to open for all recruiting agencies for the recruitment, but to no avail. In the beginning 25 recruiting agencies were allowed to send workers and later the number was increased to 100. For assistance of this syndicate, there is a syndicate of private agencies in Malaysia.

An aspiring migrant has to give Tk 150,000 to this syndicate in the name of 100 agencies. The business is also going on in the name of medical checkup under this syndicate. A migrant has gone to Malaysia by spending Tk 400,000-500,000. Many of them have not got jobs. As a result, the international human rights organisations have created pressure on the Malaysian government. Now the country wants to fix the recruitment process of foreign workers. So the Malaysian government has decided to stop recruitment of new workers.

Malaysian high commissioner to Bangladesh Haznah Md Hashim blamed the syndicate of two countries for cheating and sufferings of workers. After meeting foreign minister on 12 March, while speaking to newsmen, he said syndicates are behind the problem, who are active both in Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Not only Bangladesh, workers from other countries will not be allowed to enter Malaysia from June. Other countries are holding Bangladesh responsible for that.

Expatriates welfare and overseas employment ministry additional secretary Khairul Alam said arrangements have been made to send workers who have got approval. After discussing with Malaysia, the next course of action will be taken. The ministry is also looking into the issue of syndicate.

There are 1520 registered recruiting agencies to send workers to Malaysia. Under a normal process, it is supposed to charge not more than Tk 80,000 to send to Malaysia.

According to Bangladesh Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) around 12,50,000 migrants have gone to Malaysia till January since 1992. Over 350,000 migrants went to Malaysia last year. In 2022, 50,000 workers went to Malaysia.

Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) members said the migration cost would have come down if all recruiting agencies were allowed to send workers to Malaysia. But as per Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between two countries, Malaysia has been given the responsibility to select the agencies. As a result, a certain syndicate got the scope to indulge in illegal trading. The syndicate has taken Tk 150,000 against a worker. The syndicate made Tk 60 billion by sending 400,000 workers. A business of Tk 180 billion has taken place over the Malaysian labour market in one and half years.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, BAIRA joint secretary general Fakhrul Islam said a migrant is supposed to spend Tk 80,000 to go to Malaysia, but a migrant couldn't go without spending Tk 450,000. The syndicate couldn't be stopped despite movement. Now the Malaysian labour market has been closed due to irregularities.

A company named Synerflex got the online job of recruitment of workers to Malaysia in 2016.

Bangladeshi origin Malaysian citizen Dato Seri Abdul Bin Amin Nor is the owner of this organisation. With his backing, the syndicate comprising 10 agencies was created. Although it was supposed to send a worker for Tk 33,375, a migrant had to spend Tk 200,000-350,000 to go to Malaysia. The syndicate made about Tk 55 billion in two years. Dato Amin from Malaysia supported the creation of the syndicate. After remaining closed for long, the labour market faced the same fate due to illegal business of the same syndicate.

Preferring not to be named, two officials at Bangladesh high commission in Malaysia said around 200,0000 Bangladeshis are unemployed and they are leading inhuman lives. Many are coming to the embassy for help. Tears cannot be held back seeing the sufferings of the people. However, the embassy has nothing to do. The workers face such a tragic situation due to a quarter.

The workers have a Facebook group 'Malaysiaexpat Bangladesh'. They regularly disclose their sufferings on Facebook. Certain Sagor on Tuesday wrote, "Any brother can provide a job, I am in a crisis." Masum Ahmed Rasel on Wednesday wrote, "A man has come to Malaysia and he is not getting any job. If work is provided, this will be helpful for him."

Bangladesh Civil Society for Migrants, a platform of 23 organisations working for migrants, on Wednesday issued a statement demanding punishment of those responsible for closure of the labour market. The statement said the concerned recruiting agencies, the government of Malaysia and firms have to be brought to book.

Due to the devastating situation, the Malaysian government has declared that the country would not recruit foreign workers from June. As a result, the sufferings including joblessness and leading inhuman life of the workers will intensify further. So the government has to take an initiative soon to resolve the problem.

Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), a non-government organisation, has been working for the migrants. Its founding chair Tasneem Siddiqui said the recruiting agencies which were involved in irregularities should have been brought to book.

After the opening of the labour market in 2022, the same recruitment process was followed. As a result, the market has come to a halt. The workers have to face the same fate due to irregularities. So those who are involved in irregularities have to be punished this time.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam