Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi must answer four main questions arising from the Al-Jazeera documentary on the exploitation of migrant workers in Malaysia, a DAP lawmaker said today.

According to Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, the four questions are:

(i) Why are there still illegal workers from China brought in to work at Forest City if it is indeed true that the online application system has been implemented since April 2017?

(ii) Why didn't the Home Ministry respond to questions from the Al-Jazeera reporter if the alleged support letter cited in the documentary is false?

(iii) Why hasn’t the Home Ministry terminated the contracts of three companies linked to Umno on grounds of conflict of interests with Zahid?

(iv) Why hasn’t the government responded to calls to set up a Royal Commission on Immigration Reforms?

Sim said these questions must be answered despite Zahid’s reported dismissal of the documentary titled "Malaysia's Migrant Money Trail" as outdated, since the government introduced an online application system for foreign workers recruitment beginning this April.

The documentary had, among others, portrayed an individual who claimed to possess a “support letter” from the Home Ministry to expedite approvals of certain permits to bring in migrant workers.

'This is not a new problem'

“Zahid cannot view these accusations lightly.

“This is not a new problem. I have repeatedly raised issues on problems within our immigration system,” Sim stressed.

After the documentary was aired, Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed questioned the authenticity of the letters that allegedly showed government officials conniving with unscrupulous labour agents

Zahid, who is also home minister, claimed that the documentary was shot more than six months ago.

However, Sim denied this.

The opposition lawmaker claimed that he was interviewed by Al-Jazeera in March to give his views on the exploitation of migrant workers.

“If it is true, then why is there still an influx of undocumented migrant workers from China to work at Forest City in Johor and other projects linked to companies from China?” he asked.

Sim also reiterated that he had, in April, questioned a purported link between a private company - one of three named as agents that employers must use in order to import foreign labourers - to an individual who once worked for Zahid.

Yesterday, Zahid declared that he, along with the Home Ministry and all its agencies, are free from corruption.

Therefore, Sim said, Zahid should now answer all questions raised following release of the documentary - which was not aired on Malaysia’s Al-Jazeera channel - but is accessible online.

Klang MP Charles Santiago had yesterday also made the same claims against Zahid and demanded an explanation from the minister.

In a separate statement today, Santiago revealed that the individual allegedly linked to Zahid had previously controlled 70 percent of the company when it was awarded a Home Ministry contract to rehire undocumented foreign workers.

However, he claimed, the latest company registration record, dated July 10, now showed that the former officer and his son were no longer listed as directors or owners of the company.

“Am I the only one who smells something fishy here?” Santiago questioned.