Burmese Workers’ Rights Group Attacked in Malaysia

By LAWI WENG

A raid on the office of a Burmese workers’ rights group in Malaysia left two of its staff seriously injured, according to one of the victims of the attack.

Lin Lin, a member of the Kuala Lumpur-based Burma Workers’ Rights Protection Committee (BWRPC), said he and a colleague suffered serious injuries after being beaten by thugs who raided their office on Saturday.

He said a gang of around 20 men, believed to have been hired by the employer of 15 Burmese women who had taken shelter at the office, carried out the attack. The women said they had fled the factory where they were working because they were being forced to work without pay.

Lin Lin said an injury to his right eye required five stitches. He added that he was worried about permanent damage to his eyesight, because he was still unable to see out of the injured eye.

According to Lin Lin, the 15 Burmese women sheltering at his office had not been paid for their work and were confined to their workplace until their escape. He said that their Malaysian employer still held their passports.

“Burmese workers are helpless here,” he said.

Florida Sandanasamy, a Malaysian lawyer who represents a number of Burmese migrant workers, said that she receives at least two cases of withheld wages a month from Burmese workers. Many cases go to the court, but the process is very slow, she said.

She added that she would investigate the attack on the BWRPC soon.

One of the Burmese women hiding at the group’s office said that she had been forced to work 20 hours a day, and was threatened with assault by hired thugs if she refused.
“I was terrified, so I had to work,” she said.

The woman said her boss didn’t allow employees to make phone calls, and although she went to the Burmese embassy for help, none was forthcoming.

“I borrowed a lot of money to come here,” she said. “I paid 1,300,000 kyat [around US $1,300] to get this job, and they promised to pay me 750 ringgit [$205] a month. But I only got 600 ringgit [$165].”

She added that even if she can’t get her passport back, she will remain in Malaysia until she earns enough to pay off her debt.

According to BWRPC, there are around 500,000 Burmese working in Malaysia, both legally and illegally. Due to the current global economic slowdown, many have lost their jobs, and the Malaysian government has stepped up its efforts to deport migrant workers who are no longer needed.