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Dispute between Technointan Holding Sdn Bhd and foreign employees: Human Resource Minister Dato Fong Chan Onn must immediately intervene Press Statement by Kerk Kim Hock (Petaling Jaya, Saturday): Yesterday, together with Malacca DAP leaders, I had visited the 38 Indian workers who had been seeking shelter at the Jalan Temenggung Sikh Temple since 13.8.2003 after their management unilaterally terminated their contracts of employment.   These workers who came to Malaysia in February this year alleged that their employer, Technointan Holding Sdn Bhd , had breached their contract terms.   They claimed that in the contract of employment signed between them and the employer, they would be paid a monthly salary of RM 600 and there would be 6 days of work per week. It was also stated in the contract that the cost of their work permit and levy would be fully borne by the employer.   However, they alleged that the employer paid them a daily rate of RM 23 for each worked day and the contract term that there would be 6 days  per week was not fulfilled.  Additionally, RM 120 was deducted from their monthly salary as deduction for their levy.   They also alleged that they were not paid their overtime and that they had to bear their own medical expenses.   What was shocking was their allegation that although 15 of them had sought the assistance of the Malacca Bar Committee’s assistance in July and where a complaint was subsequently lodged with the Malacca Labour Department on 13.8.2003, the employer had unilaterally terminated their employment and wanted to send them to the KLIA airport on the same afternoon.   All of them refused to get on to the bus and escaped to seek shelter at the Jalan Temegnuing Sikh Temple.   A check by the Malacca Bar Committee revealed that their work permits and visas had been cancelled by the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department on 12.8.2003 and Deportation Order were also issued .    I had made enquiries with the Indian High Commission and was informed that since 1999, about 150 Malaysian companies had been blacklisted by them for breaching contract terms   I am appalled by such high number of allegations of breach of contract terms as such incidents will definitely affect the country’s image, especially so when such alleged unfair treatment is prominently reported by the newspapers of India.   Malaysian government must therefore treat this issue with the utmost urgency and immediately discuss with the Indian government to look into the recruitment procedure of foreign workers from India to ensure that sad and unfair treatment of foreign workers is not repeated.   I also call on the Human Resource Minister Dato Fong Chan Onn to immediately intervene to resolve the plight faced by the 38 foreign employees.     (23/8/2003) * Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General and MP for Kota Melaka