Eight Cambodian workers returned from M’sia: official

CAMBODIA has intervened with the Malaysian government to repatriate six workers and two children to the Kingdom who resided illegally in Malaysia, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation spokesman Koy Kuong.

Koung told The Post on May 26 that with the assistance of the Cambodia embassy in Malaysia, the six workers and two children would return on May 26.

“The embassy issued temporary travel documents to those who have no passports and will accompany them for Covid-19 testing and take them to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. They are illegal migrant workers and want to return to Cambodia, so they asked the embassy for help,” he said.

The Cambodian Embassy in Malaysia on May 21 also intervened to facilitate the repatriation of seven Cambodian migrant workers who resided and worked in the country, according to the embassy’s Facebook page.

The Cambodian Embassy in Malaysia also requested that Cambodians cease coming to Malaysia illegally.

“Brothers and sisters, please maintain health measures for the sake of health and safety of our national society,” the embassy posted on Facebook.

Dy The Hoya, project officer for labour rights organisation Central, said that since 2012, Malaysia has sent back many illegal Cambodian workers because the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cambodia in accepting Cambodian workers had ended.

In 2016, he said, the two countries entered into the MoU. But he said some Cambodian workers still travelled to Malaysia to illegally reside there although others were permitted to work there.

He hoped that the Cambodian government would provide further protection for Cambodian migrant workers who were illegally and legally residing in Malaysia.

“When it comes to the unemployed during Covid-19, the government should also provide them with food. For those who intend to return to Cambodia, the government should provide support so they can return without being penalised by Malaysia,” said The Hoya.

Koung said that in the first three months of this year, the Cambodian embassies abroad had assisted 1,257 Cambodian migrant workers in seven countries and repatriated them.