KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 ― Human rights organisation Tenaganita today demanded that the government pay back what it claims to be a RM2.5 billion sum to undocumented workers who had paid RM5,000 each to be absorbed into the local workforce via the government’s rehiring programme.
Tenaganita director and consultant Joseph Paul Maliamauv said many of the migrant workers have become undocumented, not due to their fault, but because of the system which he says penalises them.
He estimated that about 700,000 illegal migraint workers had registered for the rehiring programme, which began in February 2016.
He also took the government to task over the Immigration Department’s ‘Back for Good’ (B4G) programme launched in August this year, calling it a bad move and saying that of the 700,000 who registered and paid for the rehiring programme, only less than 200,000 were given work permits.
Joseph then questioned the fate of the remaning 500,000 migrants, who he said were left in a lurch as they would be deported back to their home countries without getting a refund of their money.
“From the cases that have come to us, on average, conservatively, they would have paid RM5,000 each in cash, to get the chance to be rehired, so that they can work as legal workers in the country.
“Which then adds up, according to my calculations is about RM3.5 billion. That is the money that we got in cold cash. Now did they all become registered? No. Only less than 200,000 of them actually got the permits. What about the rest of them? They lost their money and their passports. This means, if you minus those 200,000 who got their work permits, we’ve got about RM2.5 billion floating around.
“So this means, it has gone to the coffers. Now, of course, the government would say, we appointed some agents and the agents (are responsible), but these are government-appointed agents. Three companies: MYEG, Bukti Megah and Iman Resources,” he said, referring to MYEG Services Bhd, Bukti Megah Sdn Bhd and International Marketing and Net Resources Sdn Bhd.
Joseph accused the agencies of being “cronies” to the government and demanded immediate action.
“Now, they collected the money on behalf of the government. So you have no excuse. What did you do with the money? Whether they gave to the government, whether they did a good job or not, it is not our problem. It is the government’s responsibility. People have paid the money, and they (government) have not given them their work permits.
“And now, they (government) have the temerity and the audacity to tell them: ‘Here’s a chance for you to go back for good.’ What happened to the money that they paid? This is a question that we as Malaysians have a collective responsibility for. This money is floating around, in the coffers of I don’t know who. Ministers, maybe ex-ministers, cronies. This is what I will call haram (illegal) money. It is not rezeki (blessing). It is haram. It is a sin,” Joseph said.
He also expressed worry that the government, and those linked to the administration, would kickstart another rehiring programme to collect money from unsuspecting migrant workers, once its coffers start running dry.
Joseph also demanded for a closure to the ‘RM2.5 billion question” from the authorities, before pursuing any amnesty programmes.
“So for me, migrant workers are being used as a cash cow,” he added.
The press conference today was held in conjunction with the International Migrants Day 2019.
In May last year, Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the rehiring programme run by the Immigration Department since February 2016 in an effort to provide illegal foreign workers with valid work permits, will not be continued after June 30, 2018.
At that time, he said that 744,942 illegal foreign workers and 83,919 employers had registered with the said programme.
Last week, Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud reportedly said that 138,901 illegal immigrants have returned to their home countries voluntarily through the B4G initiative as of December 12.
The programme, which was announced by Muhyiddin, is scheduled to run from August 1 to December 31, in a bid to reduce the number of illegal immigrants here.
Bernama reported that B4G is to provide illegal immigrants, who have committed offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the chance to return home, according to stipulated requirements.
According to the report, they are only required to obtain complete identification documents from their respective embassies, and surrendering these documents to the Immigration Office for processing.
Additionally, they are also required to pay a RM700 compound and show valid flight tickets for their trip back home.
