COMMENT | An account of modern-day slavery: Part 3

This is part three of a four-part account of modern-day slavery, forced labour, and abuse perpetrated against a group of migrant workers from Bangladesh.

COMMENT | After reluctantly moving to the new location, Ahmed and his friends found that it was worse than the first.

The workers were randomly chosen, and ten to twelve of them were put into a room that was rented in apartment units occupied by Malaysian families.

There were five such rooms scattered throughout the apartment blocks.

One of the workers, aged 36 or 37, suffered a heart attack and his friends took him to a nearby hospital after Ravi and Derek refused to act. He was given medicine and brought back to the room.

He then became desperate to return home to his family, but Ravi and Derek told him that he must pay for his own ticket.

Ahmed and his friends managed to pool some money and borrowed the difference to buy him a flight ticket home.

It has now been over a month since they have been waiting for a job at the third location.

The group consists of 34 people currently. Ravi and Derek keep dividing and relocating the workers to prevent them from sharing information with each other.

They are given pre-packaged food, which Ahmed and his workers pick up from a restaurant downstairs.

Derek pays for the meals. This is where I met Ahmed and his friends as well. 

“Living amongst us is another Bangladeshi man who acts as an informer to Derek.

“He told us that the real reason we haven’t been given a job is because companies that want workers aren’t giving Derek a good commission. Once he secures a good deal, we will finally be employed,” Ahmed said, staring absently into a wall.

Then he said: “Are we animals? Or mere bodies to be bought and sold and profiteered from?”

Ahmed said the twenty workers who were sent to Penang were not only forced to do hard labour but also not paid.

“Derek told them the daily wage is RM100, out of which he will give them RM80. But they were not paid at all. After a month of work, he relocated the workers,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed and his friends are currently being held as bonded slaves.

“Derek said we need to pay him RM5,000 to get our passports back. And every week we delay, the price goes up by another RM1,000,” Ahmed said.

The fee now stands at RM7,000. 

Derek also told them that for another RM4,500, they can renew their visas which will expire at the end of the year.

It’s either that or facing the consequences of becoming undocumented and working illegally, an option that opens them up to arrest and detention by authorities.

Here are some of the labour law violations: 

1. Abuse of vulnerability
2. Deception
3. Restriction of movement
4. Isolation
5. Physical and sexual violence
6. Intimidation and threats
7. Retention of identity documents
8. Withholding of wages
9. Debt bondage
10. Abusive working and living conditions
11. Excessive overtime (workers in Penang)

CHARLES SANTIAGO is former Klang MP.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

COMMENT | An account of modern-day slavery: Part 2

COMMENT | An account of modern-day slavery: Part 1

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