Scam agents leave foreign workers in the lurch

UNSCRUPULOUS: Numerous employers and their foreign workers have become unsuspecting victims of outsourcing agencies

KUALA LUMPUR: HUNDREDS of thousands of foreign workers from Indonesia, Pakistan and Myanmar, and a few from the Philppines, are believed to have been cheated by "agents" here who promised them legal work permits  under 6P amnesty programme.

Indonesian Community Association in Malaysia (Permai) vice-chairman Dewi Kholifah has received thousands of reports from Indonesian workers who were charged up to RM6,000 each by agencies which claimed that they were registered with the Home Ministry.

"Some of the agents had even shown a letter from the Home Ministry to these Indonesian workers, which stated that they are registered with the ministry to help in running the 6P programme," she said.

Responding to such claims, Immigration department director (foreign workers division) Datuk Haniff Omar said the foreigners' employers should lodge police reports since they had brought the workers in and were responsible for their documentation.

However, Haniff admitted that the use of management companies under the 6P programme had given unregistered agents the opportunity to deceive these foreigners.

"Employers who claimed that they were cheated by agents under the 6P programme last year can now register their workers under the Special Programme for Managing Illegal Immigrants (PKPP)," he said, adding that it was compulsory for the employers to provide a police reportbefore Sept 10.

"The reason we give the employers a certain period of time is because the 6P programme ended a long time ago (December 2012) and as it involved a huge transaction of money, we would expect employers to lodge a police report earlier," he said.

"If it is true that they were cheated, why only make a police report now?

"Why had they acted only after we made it compulsory to have a police report?" Haniff asked.

To prevent further scams, the department will not allow agents to process the work permits, he said.

"Only those with the company representative card are allowed to do business at our counters and this yellow card will only be given to the employer and two representatives who are their full-time workers.

"The employer will have to provide their representative's Employees Provident Fund (EPF) statement to prove that they are permanent workers of the company," he added.

Responding to the PKPP programme, Dewi called on the Home Ministry to clarify which "employer" was responsible for lodging the police reports, claiming that most foreign workers were registered under an outsourcing company.

"These outsourcing companies supply labourers to organisations, thus the workers are registered under two different companies," she said.

One of their victims is Bambang Setiawan, 32, an Indonesian who had been working for a construction company here for five years.

When his employer tried to renew his work permit, the Immigration Department turned down the application.

"According to them, I have to go back to my hometown and wait for another six months before I am allowed to re-enter this country and continue my job at this company," said Bambang.

He refused to go back to Indonesia, but instead applied to be registered as a legal immigrant through the 6P programme.

"After the amnesty programme, I was outsourced to another company but unfortunately, it was declared bankrupt."

He had paid RM4,000 for a work permit -- which he has yet to see.

Bambang and his friends are now stuck in this country and all of them are living in fear as some of their compatriots have been arrested and deported.

"We cannot go anywhere because our passports have been taken by our agents who have also threatened to hand us to the Immigration Department for staying here illegally if we make a police report against them," he said.

Haniff said that companies were not allowed to outsource foreign workers to other companies.

"Since last year, under the Employment Act 1955, only companies wishing to hire foreign workers for their own use are allowed," he said.

But some foreign workers prefer to use these agents as they enter the country without permanent employers.

Many of them overstay after their contract with their company ends while others enter the country, on tourist or student visas, with the intention of looking for a job.

For example Anitha (not her real name) was sold fake work permits for her two Filipino workers who had come in on tourist visas.

The permits said her workers were employed by the agency, and she was also given an "endorsement" letter saying both workers were permitted to work at her beauty parlour.

When she became suspicious about the permits, she went to the Immigration office in Putrajaya, where she found the documents were forged and her employees were not registered.

She was referred to the enforcement division which told her to make a police report.

But when she made the police report, she was told it would be difficult to take the case to court as she was sending her workers back to the Philippines.

The police sent her a letter saying she had to report the case to the Immigration Department.

Anitha had sleepless nights until her workers were safely back in the Philippines.

The stress caused her to lose four kilogrammes and at one point, she even lost her voice.

But she is wiser now.

"I didn't know about the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration process," she said.

"Next time I will go through their accredited agents."

The 6P programme, also known as the Illegal Immigrant Comprehensive Settlement Programme, was set up by the government in 2011 for companies to legalise their foreign employees.

The programme allows legalisation of some 1.8 million illegals working here or to be deported back to their home country without any form of punishment.

Read more: Scam agents leave foreign workers in the lurch - Central - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/scam-agents-leave-foreign-workers-in-the-lurch-1.397292#ixzz2kUT4CYC8

Former Sabah Pakatan reps face hostile reception

By Roy Goh THREE assemblymen will be seated with different views when the Sabah 2014 Budget is presented at the state legislative assembly this Friday.

After their unceremonious departure recently, they will not be sitting with the opposition Pakatan line-up and surely not with Barisan Nasional backbenchers.

Despite claiming to be government or BN-friendly independents, Hiew King Chiu, Jelani Hamdan and Jeremy Malajad will be on their own.

How they plan to support BN is anybody's guess, but they can expect a hostile reception from Pakatan lawmakers.

Hiew was the first to leave DAP in September, followed by Jeremy and Jelani from PKR on different days last week.

This sparked strong protests from the parties they represented in the May 5 general election this year, apart from showing cracks in the loose alliance. It also exposed undelivered promises that were eventually used by the trio as part of their excuse to leave the opposition pact.

Following the election, Pakatan reasoned it needed to provide greater recognition to Kadazandusun leaders to hold on to its support in Sabah. Leaders from the community were promised key positions but were left out.

Former Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin was made Sabah PKR chief and opposition leader in the state assembly. Hiew disagreed, however, on how Lajim was picked as the leader while Jelani and Jeremy felt the Kadazandusuns were marginalised by PKR.

Pakatan is now left with eight assemblymen -- five from PKR and three from DAP. Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitin BN can also make do without the three independents as they still command a big majority or 48 of the 60 seats in the state assembly.

Some of the BN component parties would not be too excited if their coalition partners roped in any of the three under their wing.

Hiew was Kota Kinabalu member of parliament after the 2008 general election and Luyang assemblyman after May 5, defeating candidates from PBS and MCA respectively.

Jeremy, the Kadamaian assemblyman, was with Upko but jumped ship to PKR to contest against PBS incumbent Herbert Timbun Lagadan.

As for Jelani, who was once a rising star in Umno before being suspended for money politics, his return to BN would likely not be welcomed. PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili made it clear recently when he said BN would need to be wary of their intentions.

"Direct acceptance of opposition representatives into a BN component party is essentially party hopping and unprincipled political behaviour.

"It is gratifying that members of the opposition and their elected representatives have realised that only BN can deliver for the people. PBS welcomes new BN supporters but, as a principle, it prefers to be cautious of elected representatives who have jumped parties.

"It is important to know if those who left the opposition were sincere in their actions," said Ongkili, who is also Kota Marudu MP.

As a rule, former BN members who contested for the opposition could not be accepted without full consent from coalition members.

Upko secretary-general Datuk Donald Mojuntin said it was only fair for the coalition partners that were affected in the elections.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had lambasted the three party hoppers and blamed the BN for enttheir respective parties.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, however, said Anwar should look within the opposition alliance before pointing fingers at others.

"There are certain leaders in Pakatan who have come to realise that to stay on with the coalition would be futile.

"They are moving on to serve their constituencies. Instead of blaming others for its weaknesses, Pakatan should examine itself."

Read more: Former Sabah Pakatan reps face hostile reception - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/former-sabah-pakatan-reps-face-hostile-reception-1.399132#ixzz2kUQazgcI