Migrant workers’ groups to hold online dialogue session on labour law reform this Dec 6

KUCHING: Filipino Migrant Domestic Workers Association (Ammpo) Malaysia and Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers Association (Pertimig) Malaysia, together with the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), will hold a dialogue on labour law reform on Dec 6.

The online session will feature speakers Uli Rini of Pertimig Malaysia, Our Journey director Sumitha Shaanthinni, Malaysian Trades Union Congress Sarawak secretary Andrew Lo and a representative from the Human Resources Ministry, with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak senior lecturer Linda A. Lumayag serving as moderator.

The event will be held via Zoom from 2pm to 5pm in conjunction with International Migrants Day which is celebrated on Dec 18 each year.

A press statement yesterday said the objectives of the dialogue are to enhance the understanding and knowledge of migrant workers and migrant domestic workers on the labour law reform process in Malaysia; strengthen solidarity among different migrant workers’ group regardless of nationalities and sectors; and to update on the labour law reform process in Malaysia, especially on the Employment Act and Trade Union Act.

“Participants and speakers comprise about 40 migrant workers and migrant domestic workers from Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries.

“The speakers will represent migrant workers’ groups, local trade union and a legal expert,” said the statememt.

The programme will start with online registration from 1.30pm to 2pm, followed by opening remarks by IDWF regional coordinator Fish Ip.

The second session will be on ‘Identifying Workers’ Experiences: Gap and Challenges on the Protection of Migrant Workers and Migrant Domestic Workers in Malaysia’ by Ammpo Malaysia and Pertimig Malaysia.

The final session will be on ‘Improving the Protection of Migrant Workers and Migrant Domestic Workers through Employment Act 1955 Reform’ by Lo, Sumitha and the International Labour Organisation Malaysia, followed by a question-andanswer period.

The dialogue will be conducted in Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Malaysia and English, with translations from Bahasa Indonesia to English and vice versa provided by the organiser via two simultaneous channels.

According to the statement, Malaysia is reviewing three national laws namely the Employment Act 1955, Trade Union Act 1959 and Industrial Relations Act 1967.

Amendments to the Industrial Relations Act 1967 were passed by Parliament at the end of 2019 while the two other laws are still at the discussion stage.

This reviewing process is very crucial to assure the recognition of domestic workers and to push Malaysian laws to be more inclusive towards migrant workers regardless of sectors and nationalities, said the statement.

For those in the domestic worker sector, the labour law reform could be an opportunity to improve their rights as workers, it added.

“The labor law reform is expected to reduce the many injustices, forced labour and trafficking practices experienced by migrant domestic workers.

“This process needs to be monitored by migrant domestic workers’ organisations, trade unions, NGOs and other related stakeholders,” it said.