http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=3D9639
Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
39 Bangladeshi workers held in Malaysia
Unb, Dhaka
Malaysian police on Monday arrested 39 Bangladesh nationals following
a gang fight involving Bangladeshis and locals in Johor Baru of
Malaysia.
The fight started near a foreign workers' hostel in Taman Kota Puteri,
Masai at 10:20pm. Police rounded up the 39 Bangladeshis after the
clash, reported Malaysia Star.
Johor Baru's acting CID Chief Assistant Commissioner Che Yusoff Che
Ngah said the two local workers and five Bangladeshis suffered
injuries and were brought to a nearby clinic for treatment.
=93Initial investigations showed that four locals, who were hired to
relocate the workers to another place, had injured some of the
workers. This angered the workers, who then beat them (locals) up,=94 he
said, adding that no weapons were used.
Ngah said the Bangladeshis and two locals were detained under Section
148 of the Penal Code for rioting, and they would be remanded for two
weeks.
=93Quick police action prevented the incident from becoming worse. Teams
from the Seri Alam district headquarters were dispatched to resumed
control and arrest the ones involved.=94
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Bangladeshi Illegal Immigrants Caned In Malaysia .....
AI Index: ASA 28/003/2002 12 August 2002
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: ASA 28/003/2002 (Public)
News Service No: 141
12 August 2002
Malaysia: Caning should be abolished
Following the first caning sentences imposed under the tough new anti-
immigration law, Amnesty International today urged the Malaysian
government to rid the country of this cruel punishment.
"Whipping someone with a cane is cruel, inhuman and degrading.
International standards make clear that such treatment constitutes
torture. Such a punishment should have no place in today's world," the
organization said.
The seven people to be sentenced, two Bangladeshis and five
Indonesians, were found to be working in Malaysia illegally and
sentenced to between one and two strokes of the cane, as well as six
months to two years imprisonment.
The amendments to the Immigration Act impose mandatory whipping of up
to six strokes of the cane, fines and up to five years imprisonment
for foreigners who are in Malaysia illegally. Amnesty International is
concerned that hundreds of undocumented workers and asylum seekers are
at risk of being whipped.
Various human rights groups have condemned the crackdown saying that
undocumented workers are ignorant of procedures and are themselves
often victims of deceit at the hands of migrant worker traffickers or
unscrupulous employers. Malaysians and others who employ more than
five undocumented workers are now also liable to mandatory whipping
and up to five years in jail.
The law came into force after a four-month amnesty ended on 31 July
2002 during which time an estimated 300,000 undocumented workers left
Malaysia.
Over a dozen more cases will reportedly be brought to court next week,
and scores of other cases are being investigated. Amnesty
International urges the Malaysian authorities not to carry out the
caning, to ensure that no further caning sentences are handed down,
and to abolish corporal punishment in law.
"Caning as a punishment is unnecessary and is unlikely to deter
economic migrants or asylum seekers," the organization said.
Background
Caning is used in Malaysia as a supplementary punishment for at least
40 crimes even though it contravenes international human rights
standards.
A Malaysian human rights group, SUARAM, reported that from January to
November last year, thirteen people were sentenced to whipping by
courts for various crimes ranging from rape cases, sexual abuses and
drug possession. SUARAM reported that this represented a significant
decrease from 53 people in 2000.
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Malaysia getting tough with Bangladeshi illegal immigrants .....
"Advanced Age" Bangladesh students drawing scrutiny ..... Bangladeshi
illegal immigrants caned .....
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/03/15/d60315060271.htm
Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Malaysia to go tough with Bangladeshi students
Malaysian Home Affairs Ministry will review the procedure and
regulations in issuing student visa especially for Bangladeshi
students in order to prevent them from being illegal workers in
Malaysia.
Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said local employers were prohibited from
recruiting Bangladeshi workers two years ago, so the ministry would
pay close attention on Bangladeshi students when they issued the
student visa.
"We will review all countries (student visa issuant), especially
Bangladesh, because our country doesn't allow Bangladesh citizens to
work here, other countries have no problems," he added.
According to the news report, there were four colleges was being
monitored by the ministry. A total of 1,700 Bangladeshi students were
suspected in misusing student visas and they worked illegally in
different sectors.
"I have discussed this matter with Higher Education Ministry and they
promised to revoke the college licence if they violate any rule,"
Radzi told a press conference after attending the monthly assembly.
"We look at the issue seriously. We hope that we are not made fool by
others. Therefore, we have to prevent others from causing loopholes in
the laws," he continued.
Radzi said the Home Affairs Ministry was responsible in enforcement
and handling the visa application, therefore the ministry had given
some constructive suggestions to Higher Education Ministry.
"Malaysia encourages the foreign students came to Malaysia to pursue
their studies as our country will become the higher education hub in
this region. However, government doubts when many foreign students are
"advanced age" students," he added.
"It's acceptable if only few of them aged 25 among two or three
hundred students. However, it's doubtful if there are 180 students
aged 25 among 200 students."
He said Higher Education officers went overseas to promote Malaysia
education and it might cause some misunderstandings which brought
Bangladeshi "students" worked illegally here.
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