Migrants : A holistic protection when they are in Malaysia

Malaysia is a nation that has many laws, most of them reasonably good and some in need of an update to catch up with current needs, but the issue with the laws is usually the lack of enforcement due to a shortage of enforcement officers. MTUC has made it a point to speak to all stakeholders and highlight this issue as an urgent issue as we feel that we can have the most sophisticated law but failure to enforce will lead to the law being futile, and more importantly the migrant workers in Malaysia unprotected. MTUC has taken a strong stand against forced labour will continue to do so. Under the NAPFL 2021-2025, MTUC sat on the technical committee and made it a point to ensure that not only our laws are updated but also enough enforcement officers are allocated for the said laws. MTUC also feels that there needs to be transparency in terms of data collection and sharing and have requested via the officers are allocated for the said laws. MTUC also feels that there needs to be transparency in terms of data collection and sharing and have requested via the NAPFL that a consolidated, controlled and transparent, interagency and intergovernmental database is created for all migrants that come into Malaysia so that we may safeguard them from unscrupulous persons/agencies that pry on their vulnerability. It is our firm belief that all migrants that walk into Malaysia are entitled to protection and as a worker, we do not discriminate against them from our citizens. Having real-time data sharing would lead to protection for all migrants from the point of origin in the sending countries, during the entire work experience in Malaysia and then back to the country of origin once they leave Malaysia. Given that there are numerous forms of vulnerability faced by migrant workers throughout the migration cycle, it is our goal to be able to monitor and protect them at all stages.