The Malaysian Bar - Invitation to join the Subcommittee on Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs

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Invitation to join the Subcommittee on Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs

Friday, 21 August 2009 06:42pm

Contributed by Dato’ M. Ramachelvam, Chairperson, Law Reform and Special Areas Committee

For more than a decade, Malaysia has been the largest importer of foreign labour in Asia. The number of documented migrant workers in the country is 2.1 million and together with those who are undocumented, migrant workers constitute roughly 25% to 30% of the total labour workforce. Despite the huge presence of migrant workers in the country, the Malaysian government does not have in place a comprehensive policy framework to deal with migrant labour.

The Bar Council is concerned about this state of affairs and set up a Subcommittee on Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs (“the Subcommittee”) in 2007 under the Law Reform and Special Areas Committee (“the Committee”). Both the Subcommittee as well as the Committee are chaired by Dato’ M. Ramachelvam.

The major activities organised by the Subcommittee since its formation include:

•   1½ day Conference entitled “Developing a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Migrant Labour” (18 & 19 February 2008)

•   Roundtable discussion with diplomatic missions entitled “Trafficking in Persons into Malaysia and the Enforcement of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act” (10 June 2008)

•   Roundtable discussion on arrest and detention (5 December 2008)

•   Roundtable discussion entitled “Developing A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Refugees & Asylum-Seekers” (23 June 2009)

•   Roundtable discussion on domestic workers (8 July 2009)

•   Migrant Workers’ Rights Multi Stakeholder Roundtable, jointly organised with the Fair Labour Association (5 August 2009)

There is a lot of work to be done in this area and we invite members of the Bar to join the Subcommittee to help move things along.

If you are interested in the work that we do and would like to join the Committee, kindly contact our officer, Ms. Vila, by telephone at 03-20313180 or by email at vila@malaysianbar.org.my.

The Subcommittee is holding its third meeting for this term at 2.30 pm on Friday, 28 August 2009 at the Bar Council Secretariat. We invite you to attend this meeting and assist the Bar in this important area of work.

Migrant workers and refugees are groups of people that are solely in need of great protection from the state. The manner in which we treat such powerless and vulnerable groups is the litmus test of how civilised we are as a nation.

Thank you.

Dato’ M. Ramachelvam
Chairperson
Law Reform and Special Areas Committee

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