Hontiveros expresses concern over the fate of Filipino migrant workers in Malaysia

Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros today expressed grave concern over the welfare and treatment of Filipino migrant workers in Malaysia, and called for more transparency on the part of Malaysian authorities with regards to procedures for conducting raids and detaining undocumented migrant workers.

The Malaysian government has begun a crackdown on migrant workers under an operation it has dubbed Ops Mega 3. Launched at midnight on July 1, local news sources say that this resulted, according to local news sources, in the arrest of over 229 immigrants. Last July 6, immigration authorities arrested 43 illegal foreign workers in Kula Lumpur.

"While I understand that the law must be followed, I ask the Malaysian government to ensure that procedures take into account human rights principles and proper observance of ILO conventions. It is important that as the law is observed, its implementation must be tempered to avoid abuse," Hontiveros said.

"It is vital for us to understand that the phenomena of migrant and undocumented work materialize as a result of exploitation and systems that are naturally disadvantageous to the vulnerable sectors of society. We have to remember that many undocumented workers do not wish to be in the situation they're in, and that the real, systemic causes of the problem should be addressed if authorities want to really put a stop to the influx of undocumented work," Hontiveros explained.

Hontiveros said that much of migrant work Is driven by human trafficking and fake agencies that profit off of fostering employment debt among those they recruit, forcing people into undocumented work. She said that the previous Malaysian government's hiring policy required an employer's consent before a worker could change employers. This has been particularly problematic in cases of employer abuse, intimidation and exploitation, and sometimes forces workers into undocumented work as a way of escaping harmful situations.

"This is something that requires change on multiple fronts, most especially labor policy. We should never dehumanize workers. Because I am sure that if the law permitted more flexible means of entering work legally, they wouldn't have to resort to undocumented living as a means of protecting themselves," Hontiveros ended.