The International Trade Union Confederation-Asia Pacific (ITUC) today expressed outrage and described as “shocking” Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s revelation last week that 30,000 foreign workers had been caned between 2005 and 2010.

police caning rotan punishment video film strip 300707 In a statement issued today, its president G Rajasekaran said the punishment constituted torture and ill-treatment and called for the abolition of “the brutal and barbaric practice” and all other forms of corporal punishment.

He was referring to Hishammuddin's response in Parliament on March 9, that 29,759 foreigners were canned over the five years concerned for immigration offences.The International Trade Union Confederation-Asia Pacific

Citing research findings on the matter by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), Rajasekaran said labour suppliers licensed by the government itself were behind the rise in the number of undocumented foreign workers and the widespread abuse.

Many, for example, are brought to work in restaurants but subsequent upon their arrival are made to work in the manufacturing sector.

In this way, they are detained, prosecuted, caned and jailed after being abused by their employers, said Rajasekaran.

mtuc cawp water tariff pc 171006 g rajasekaran “MTUC has received complaints from hundreds of workers that have been in the country for as long as six months without any wages,” he said.

“Has the government ever caned any employer for perpetuating such offence?” he asked.

Last week, Amnesty International also urged the Malaysian government to halt its practice of caning refugees and migrants, which it said is prohibited under international law.

"The government's figures confirm that Malaysia is subjecting thousands of people to torture and other ill-treatment each year.

"This is a practice which is absolutely prohibited under international law, no matter what the circumstances.

"As a first step, the Malaysian government has to immediately declare a moratorium on this brutal practice," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International Asia Pacific director.

Referring to its own study published in December last year, the group said that out of 57 cases studied it was concluded that the caning amounted to torture.

"The authorities had intentionally inflicted severe pain and suffering through the punishment of caning.

"While most countries have abolished judicial caning, Malaysia has expanded the practice. Parliament has increased the number of offenses subject to caning to more than 60."