Minister seeks workers' rights in M'sia
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Myanmar's labour minister is visiting Malaysia this week in a bid to gain legal recognition there for undocumented Myanmar workers, according to the Director General of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.
The move comes after Malaysia launched a crackdown against illegal immigrants that has seen hundreds jailed and deported since the start of the month.
“The minister and I from the Labour Ministry, and relevant officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as those from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will go [to Malaysia],” Labour Ministry Director General Myo Aung told reporters ahead of the visit. “Our purpose is to discuss [with Malaysian authorities] how we can legalise the undocumented Myanmar workers in Malaysia.
“Our discussion will not be limited to topics such as what kind of punishments will be given to illegal workers and how those punishments can be reduced. We will focus on long-term solutions,” said Myo Aung.
He added that his delegation would also meet with Myanmar migrants working in Malaysia.
On September 1, Malaysian authorities launched an ongoing operation to arrest illegal migrant workers and to send them back to their home countries. A reported 550 Myanmar illegal migrant workers were arrested by Malaysian authorities in the first four days.
