Malaysia Warns of Legal Action Against Employers Who haven't Paid Indonesian Workers

Associated Press
Sunday, February 13, 2005

Malaysia's attorney-general on Sunday warned of legal action against employers who allegedly withheld several months' worth of wages from Indonesian illegal immigrants.

The warning came on the eve of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit to neighboring Malaysia, where he was expected to raise the issue of unpaid wages in talks with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"We are equally concerned about employers harboring illegal workers and abusing them," Malaysia's Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail was quoted as saying by the national news agency, Bernama.

"If there is sufficient evidence against them I will not hesitate to charge them in court," Abdul Gani said. "I have no qualms on this."

Indonesia's government announced last week that it has hired lawyers to sue such errant Malaysian companies. It has accused Kuala Lumpur of doing little to ensure the workers get paid before they're deported, and of turning a blind eye to unethical Malaysian employers.

Abdul Gani said Malaysia's government would not be a party to any such suits.

"It is entirely a private matter, and as far as the (Malaysian) government is concerned, it has no responsibility on this matter," Bernama quoted him as saying.

Indonesian officials say many Indonesian workers, awaiting salary payments, have refused to go home under an amnesty program for illegal migrants. Since the amnesty began in October, Malaysia has sent back about 400,000 illegal workers, mostly Indonesians.