Editor's Note: On July 1, 2019, Albert Tei was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) by the Semenyih Sessions Court.

The owner of Maxim Birdnest factory has been charged with employing 153 foreign workers without valid passes, more than seven months after a multi-agency raid on its premise in Klang.

Sources confirmed with Malaysiakini that the factory owner was charged under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 at the Magistrate's Court in Sepang.

“The 'Datuk' claimed trial. He has been freed on court’s bail,” said the source, who is familiar with the investigation.

The source did not name the 'Datuk' but Malaysiakini in a special report with Indonesia’s Tempo magazine has previously identified him as Albert Tei, 29.

The latest development was first revealed in a written parliamentary reply dated Nov 6 from the Home Ministry to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Kok had asked the Home Ministry to state reasons for “no actions” taken against employers - Maxim Birdnest, Green Asia Agriculture and Kiss Produce - that have allegedly abused the agricultural work permit to hire 153 Indonesian women at their factories' premises.

She also claimed that the employers were let off with no charge while the workers were sentenced to two months jail after being found guilty of going against conditions of their work permit.

Contrary to Kok’s claim of charges against the workers, Malaysiakini understands that all who were rescued have been deported to their hometowns in Indonesia since late May.

The ministry, in its response, revealed that the case was mentioned in court on Nov 2 while hearing dates would be determined later.

The response also referred to reported charges under the Labour Act 1955 and the National Wages Council Act 2011.

Maxims Birdnest operations director Pak Wei Chee had appeared on behalf of the company when the Labour Department case involving 105 offences against 11 Indonesian migrant workers was first mentioned on June 15.

While the ministry’s response did not reveal details on allegations against the three companies, it is believed that its operations are all linked to Tei.

According to records from the Companies Commission of Malaysia, the address of Kiss Produce Food Tradings is listed as No 1, Lorong Gudang Nenas 1, Off Jalan Pasar, Klang - sharing the same premise as Maxim.

Jakarta-based rights group Migrant Care had in April also highlighted that a complaint was lodged with the Indonesian embassy in October 2015 - on behalf of a worker who ended up at Maxim’s factory in Klang - although she was initially promised a job at an electronics factory and later made to sign a contract with a green technology company.