The Exploitation Of Migrant Workers A Case Of Insufficient Enforcement

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“About 100 Bangladesh workers who were employed by Malaysian companies rallied Monday to demand unpaid wages, for fair compensation and an end to alleged abuse by Malaysian employers” — Associated Press World News, Nov 10, 2025ACCORDING to the above said report, the protest—held in front of the Ministry Of Expatriates’ Welfare & Overseas Employment in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Monday (Nov 10)—was in support of about 400 affected workers from Malaysian companies Mediceram Sdn Bhd and Kawaguchi Manufacturing Sdn Bhd.
In a related press statement issued by the Migrant Welfare Network (MWN), a workers group based in Malaysia and Bangladesh, it is alleged that both the said companies still owned the employees their earned wages.
It is also alleged that, at least in the case of Mediceram, there were cases of forced deportation of workers. Also highlighted were instances such as retention of passports and failure to renew work permits thus making those involved illegals—a situation akin to force labour and modern day slavery.
In the circumstances the MWN has called on both the Bangladeshi and Malaysian authorities, as well as international buyers (of the companies involved) to take immediate action to ensure workers receive all owned wages, fair compensation and justice for systemic abuse.
The cases in reference, once again, brings into focus the vulnerability of migrant workers to exploitation by uncaring employers.
Just on Oct 31 the Shah Alam High Court upheld a Labour Court ruling (made on Nov 8, 2024) awarding RM760,000 in back-wages to 93 migrant workers who were left stranded without jobs and wages upon arriving in Malaysia in 2023.
While affirming the Labour Court award the learned judge of the Shah Alam High Court made the observation that employers cannot treat foreign workers as a “reserve labour pool”.Human Resources Minister Steven Sim welcomed the said High Court judgement.
In comparison to the migrant workers involved in the Shah Alam High Court, the 400 or more workers involved in the Mediceram and Kawaguchi cases have been left high and dry without any payments including their hard earned wages.
As such what needs to be postulated is why was there a lack of enforcement by the relevant authorities in the cases of Mediceram and Kawaguchi? Where was the short-fall or failure that allowed the said employers to avoid payment of wages to the workers concerned?
In the case of Kawaguchi, inspite of a consent order recorded at the Labour Department (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja) whereat the company agreed to settle outstanding wages in instalment why was there no action to enforce the said consent order by the authorities? These are questions that needs answers.
Our country, being a member state of the International Labour Organization (ILO), has a duty to prevent force labour, protect victims and provide them access to compensatory remedies.
Thus, it is incumbent upon our authorities to render all possible assistance to the affected workers who have been victimized, exploited and denied their fundamental rights.
Any failure, on the part of our authorities to assist the workers concerned in their attempts to seek justice, would reflect negatively on us as a nation with regards to employment of migrant workers.
And it is needless to state that all buyers, who benefited from the labour and output of the workers involved, have a moral obligation towards the settlement of all outstanding wages and fair compensation to those concerned.  
K Veeriah
Bukit Mertajam, Penang
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT
- Focus Malaysia.

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