Indian workers 'humiliated' in Malaysia

Eighteen Indian workers from Punjab were reportedly subjected to humiliation by their Malaysian employer, who allegedly forced three of them to cut their hair and forbade them from wearing a turban, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

The workers managed to escaped and took shelter in a gurdwara in August last year, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said in a written reply, adding that 11 of them had since returned to India.

The 18 workers had been recruited by a company 'JUJU Power Sdn Bhd,' and had reached Malaysia in April last year, he said, adding they were subsequently sub-contracted to another company 'PSEB Electronics Sdn Bhd,' where they were reportedly subjected to humiliation and deprived of food and money legitimately due to them.

The matter was taken up with the Malaysian foreign office, with India expressing grave concern over the incident and seeking their urgent intervention for the redressal of the grievances of the Indian nationals, Ahamed said.

A case was filed in the Malaysian labour court against the employer but it was pending as the hearing had been postponed several times with the employer pleading illness, he added.

The matter has again been taken up with the Malaysian foreign office and the high commissioner has personally met the concerned authorities to request them expedite the process of redress, Ahamed said.