Exploitation on Burmese Workers

About 100 female Burmese migrant workers who were employed under the category of foreign migrant workers by one company n Malaysia. These Burmese workers arrived Malaysia as legal migrant workers. They were sent to Malaysia by Shwe Ponsan Foreign Workers Company based in Burma. They were received by TEBERAU JAT SDN BHD. The address of the company is: No. 26, Jalan Pulai 13, Taman Pulai Utama, Skudai. The responsible person of that company is Mr. Amutha and contact mobile number is 012-7219246. They are working in an electronic company namely ITG Electronic Company and address are Singapore office address is: No. 6, EU Tong Sen Street, #10-08, Singapore 059817, Tel: +65-68966979. Fax: +65-68966973.

Malaysia Factories: No. 10, Jalan Hasil, Kawasan Perindustrian Jalan Hasil, 81200 Tampoi, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Tel: +607-2345722. Fax: +607-2345731 / +607-2345503


Above mentioned ITG company is not taking any responsibility for the Burmese workers when they arrived in Malaysia. Therefore, TEBERAU JAT SDN BHD has arranged for the Burmese workers. In a two storey building, about 30 workers are sleeping upstairs and 50 workers are sleeping downstairs without their own rooms. Every floor has 3 bath rooms, but all are not useable and only one wash-room has been use for all workers. Six by six foot room was given as a kitchen for all workers. However, every worker has to pay RM10 for water and electricity.

They are working in ITG Electronic Company, but there is no proper health-care for the Burmese workers. Besides, the company which officially brought the workers from Burma is also neglecting the condition of workers. Therefore, the workers have to pay for their medication when they are sick. If the clinic doesn’t grant the medical leave, the ITG Company cuts RM 52 per day per absentee. During 2009 economic downturn, the company stopped the factory about three months. During that period, every worker was provided with only RM 100 per three month for their food. The workers’ daily wages was RM 18.50. Normal monthly income of the worker was RM 480 and if a worker worked for extra hours, total monthly income was RM 864. However, each worker had to pay RM 120 for levy fee. Therefore, each worker had to pay RM 130 (electricity, water and levy fee ).

One time, the agent cut RM 50 per worker for the reason of issuing bank cards. But no one has accepted bank card yet. This year each worker had to pay RM 50 per month for 8 months for the reason of extending the validity of their passports. About 30 workers who didn’t accept such policy quit their jobs, abandoned their work permits and passports and started working as illegal migrant workers in different areas.

In this month of December 2009, when 7 female workers prepared to go back to Burma, but invalidity of their work permit, they couldn’t go back to Burma. Finally, they informed the Burmese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and by the help of Burmese Embassy, six female workers were able to go back to Burma on 17th Dec 2009. However, one female worker had to go back Burma illegally through Thailand by the brokers. Burmese Embassy always ignores the problems and difficulties of Burmese workers in Malaysia due to maintain good relationship with Malaysian government. After all workers have to know such incident, they asked the agent to provide them with their copy of work permit. However the agent didn’t provide them what they asked for. Consequently, all Burmese are suffering fear as if they are illegal in Malaysia.

Some of those workers contacted us recently and they asked us to find some help to get back their passports, work permits. Our group and Network of Action for Migrant in Malaysia (NAMM) will continue to help them within our capacity.

Burma Campaign Malaysia
Tun Tun
016-2980784
e-mail: wnyunt@hotmail.com