.jpg "Salim urged the government to ensure full respect for the human rights and humane treatment of migrants. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa")
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — The Malaysian Bar is calling for the government to uphold the rights of migrant workers in Malaysia, whether they’re documented or not, in accordance with International Migrants Day which is observed on December 18 annually.
Its president Salim Bashir commended Putrajaya’s move to enforce amendments to the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 to ensure that migrant workers have a safer standard of living and hopes that migrant workers continue to receive free Covid-19 testing.
“We hope that the government can continue to provide free Covid-19 testing to all migrants and to consider imposing a temporary moratorium on arrests of undocumented migrants.
“This is necessary to curb the spread of the virus at places of detention where physical distancing is almost impossible,” he said in a statement.
Salim then called on the government to make public the report by the Independent Committee on the Management of Foreign Workers and implement the recommendations therein.
He also urges the government to implement the recommendations put forward by the Bar Council in its report titled “Developing a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Migrant Labour”.
“This includes working closely with country-of-origin governments to fine-tune the recruitment system and make sure the workers are equipped with the necessary skills, as well as extending the Malaysian government’s legal aid programmes to cater for migrants and refugees in Malaysia,” he said.
In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2015, Salim also urged the government to ensure full respect for the human rights and humane treatment of migrants.
He also called Putrajaya to accede to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which recognises and guarantees respect for the dignity and rights of all migrants, regardless of their national origin or immigration status and was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18 1990.
He also called for the government to adhere to the principles in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, wherein Malaysia is a signatory.
Migrant workers form an important part of Malaysia’s economy, in both the formal and informal sectors as Malaysia hosts approximately two million migrant workers, as well as a huge number of undocumented migrant workers.
Malaysian authorities have been cracking down on migrant workers, especially undocumented migrants, since the Covid-19 pandemic hit — with some even banned from working in several sectors.