NationThailand-June 26
According to several Myanmar workers in Malaysia, the Malaysian government is intensifying inspections and arrests of foreign migrant workers, including those from Myanmar, through sudden raids. These workers say they are now living and working in constant fear. Since May, the Malaysian government has launched a series of operations targeting undocumented migrant workers, frequently conducting unannounced raids and arresting those without proper documentation. “This month has been terrible. We can’t even sleep well at night because we’re afraid of when the raids will come. We don’t feel safe even at work because the operations are reaching into the workplaces themselves. Life has become very difficult,” said a Myanmar worker currently employed in Penang. Another Myanmar worker noted that many workplaces with foreign laborers are being closely watched, with police vehicles on standby. Workers without complete documents are being arrested on the spot. “When the police cars pull up, we start worrying. We have to be alert all the time. Most of the workers here are from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia — not many from other countries,” said a worker in Selangor. On June 23, during a raid in the Makota area of Malacca, a large number of Myanmar workers were arrested, according to other workers in Malaysia. Malaysian authorities have also been conducting inspections not only in factories and workshops but in shopping malls and food stalls, arresting undocumented workers in those areas as well. Read more at:
