A trade union leader today urged the government to expedite investigations into alleged mistreatment of a group of Indian IT professionals by police because their complaint reflected the grouses of other foreign trade union groups.

MTUC secretary general G Rajasekaran said union leaders from other countries have frequently complained to Malaysian representatives about the poor treatment of their nationals.

"Often at international trade union meetings outside Malaysia, union leaders from Nepal, Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines have expressed their bitterness and unhappiness over the manner their workers are treated in our country. It causes embarrassment and puts us in a defensive position," he said in a press statement.

The union leader was referring to an incident last week where more than 150 Indian nationals employed by local IT firms were arrested at the Palm Court Condominium in Kuala Lumpur and detained for over 10 hours while their travel documents were being verified.