20/04/2026

MONDAY | APR 20, 2026

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Concerns persist over recruitment of migrant workers

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

cannot be measured by technological performance alone. The real measure is whether workers are protected,” he said. Citing field data, Tenaganita said that since 2023, more than 400,000 migrant workers have entered Malaysia only to find themselves without employers, valid work permits or basic protections. Many have been left stranded, forced into irregular employment and exposed to exploitation. “This is not a technical glitch. This is systemic failure – it’s a national disgrace,” said Tenaganita, adding that affected workers remain without wages, justice or meaningful recourse. Tenaganita also rejected any attempt to revive or rebrand past systems, including continued involvement of Bestinet or similar models, which it claims have caused widespread harm. It warned that without proper oversight, basic safeguards such as fair contracts, timely wages and humane working conditions could continue to be overlooked. “Exploitation does not disappear. It simply shifts, adapts and continues,” it said. Das said no new system should be introduced without first acknowledging past failures, stressing that meaningful reform must begin with transparency and accountability. She described the current moment as pivotal for Malaysia’s migration policy direction. “We can continue down the path of fragmented, profit-driven systems, or rebuild a framework that is just, transparent and centred on human dignity.” She urged the government to act with “honesty, courage and accountability”, warning that anything less would only reproduce the same cycles of exploitation but under a different name. Campaign to promote active living among civil servants launched KANGAR: The Health Ministry is ramping up efforts to promote active living among civil servants with the launch of a 90-day Healthy Steps Challenge between state health departments, beginning April 27. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the nationwide challenge, which runs until July 27, will be conducted via digital platforms under the Healthy and Prosperous Civil Servants Initiative (i-PASS). “The Healthy Steps Challenge is part of a broader push to strengthen teamwork while fostering a culture of healthy living through digital engagement,” he said. His speech was delivered by Health Deputy Director-General (Public Health) Dr Ismuni Bohar at the launch of the national World Physical Activity Day and Northern Zone Fitness Carnival 2026 yesterday. The event was officiated by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail. Dzulkefly cited the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, which found that 29.9% of Malaysians are physically inactive, up from 25.1% in 2019. He added that 84% of adults do not participate in sports, fitness or leisure activities, while one in two spends more than two hours daily in sedentary behaviour. “This is a worrying trend and a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. It calls for a more strategic and integrated approach to drive behavioural change,” he said. He also urged the public to take precautions during the current hot weather, including staying hydrated, avoiding outdoor activity between 11am and 4pm, and seeking medical attention if experiencing dizziness, nausea or extreme fatigue. - Bernama

PETALING JAYA: Calls for Malaysia to consider a Rico-style legal framework are intensifying as observed by a criminologist who said organised crime in the country may have evolved into sophisticated, corporate-like networks that existing laws may struggle to dismantle effectively. The debate gained renewed attention following remarks by former Economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli who said Malaysia lacks a comprehensive legal mechanism similar to the United States’ Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (Rico) Act – a federal law designed to dismantle entire criminal enterprises by prosecuting patterns of coordinated criminal activity rather than isolated offences. Organised crime in Malaysia, it is believed, to have moved far beyond traditional street gangs, evolving into complex, networked structures that increasingly operate through legitimate businesses, nominee arrangements and layered financial systems. Criminologist Dr Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid said the country’s organised crime landscape is now best understood as “hybrid” in nature rather than purely gang-based. “Traditional gangs and territorially rooted syndicates still matter, especially in drugs, extortion, illegal gambling and smuggling. “But increasingly, we are seeing a more layered model – networks using legitimate companies, nominee structures and professionals to shield illicit activity and move proceeds,” said the Universiti Malaya Faculty of Law senior lecturer. She said enforcement observations, including those highlighted by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, point to the rise of so called “corporate mafia” networks operating PETALING JAYA: Malaysia risks repeating past failures in its migrant worker recruitment system unless it urgently restores transparency and accountability, Tenaganita has warned. Executive director Glorene A. Das said public confidence in labour migration policies has been severely eroded by years of shifting decisions, policy reversals and unfulfilled promises. She stressed that a simple denial over the reported involvement of private entities in recruitment processes is no longer sufficient to reassure the public. “It raises more concerns than reassurance,” she said, describing it as part of a troubling pattern in which decisions appear to proceed without transparency, only to be clarified after public scrutiny. Das said the issue extends beyond any single company, pointing instead to deep-rooted structural weaknesses in Malaysia’s migration governance. She noted the country’s long-standing problems with opaque recruitment systems, monopolistic arrangements and private intermediaries profiting at the expense of migrant workers. Against this backdrop, she said the government must clearly state whether firms such as Bestinet Sdn Bhd will play any role in future systems. “Ambiguity is no longer acceptable.” Tenaganita also cautioned against portraying direct hiring as a blanket solution. While reducing reliance on intermediaries may appear progressive, the group warned that without robust safeguards, such a move could merely shift Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Das said public confidence in labour migration policies has been severely eroded by years of shifting decisions, policy reversals and unfulfilled promises. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

reforms. He called for measures such as zero recruitment fees, standardised contracts, independent grievance mechanisms and stricter enforcement against abusive practices. He also stressed that reforms must involve civil society organisations and migrant workers themselves, not just industry players or consultants. Meanwhile, Tenaganita’s Migrant Rights Programme officer Abdul Aziz Ismail challenged the effectiveness of the foreign workers centralised management system. “Effectiveness

exploitation from agents to employers. “Without a regulated and transparent framework, what we risk is not reform, but a quiet reshaping of exploitation.” Das highlighted concerns that employers could assume recruitment roles without adequate oversight, while workers remain exposed to hidden fees and informal arrangements that leave them indebted even before starting work. Tenaganita’s Business and Accountability Programme officer Joseph Maliamauv said Malaysia requires a comprehensive national labour migration framework rather than piecemeal

‘Malaysia needs specific laws to address organised crime’

o Operations have evolved into complex enterprise networks, exposing gaps in fragmented legal framework: Criminologist

persistent enforcement challenge – particularly in prosecuting those at the top of criminal networks. “Higher-level organisers are often far removed from the underlying criminal acts. They do not handle the drugs, make the calls or sign the documents directly. “Instead, they operate through intermediaries, shell companies and layered financial arrangements, making it harder to establish clear evidential links in court.” Recent findings by the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering further highlight these challenges, noting difficulties in converting complex financial investigations into successful prosecutions. The report also observed that enforcement efforts tend to focus more on lower-level offenders, raising concerns over whether major organised crime networks are being effectively dismantled. However, Haezreena cautioned against viewing the issue solely through the lens of missing legislation. “The problem is not just about whether a specific law exists. It is also about intelligence gathering, financial investigation capacity, inter agency coordination and prosecution strategy.” She added that effectively tackling organised crime requires linking individual offences to wider networks, tracing financial flows and building cases that connect operational actors to those directing activities behind the scenes. “Malaysia already has useful legal tools. The key issue is whether they are being deployed in a coordinated manner to target organised crime as a structure, rather than as isolated offences.”

through legitimate business structures. “This is closer to an enterprise model than an old-style street gang,” she added. However, Haezreena cautioned that while the Rico model is often cited in policy discussions, Malaysia is not without legal tools to address organised crime. She said the Penal Code already contains provisions targeting organised criminal groups, including offences involving recruitment, participation and facilitation, along with enhanced penalties for crimes committed within such structures. “The stronger issue is that Malaysia’s framework is fragmented, not unified.” Different laws serve different functions, she explained. The Penal Code provides substantive offences, the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) functions as a preventive control mechanism, while the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLA) focuses on financial tracking and asset recovery. “This differs from the Rico Act in the United States, which is designed to target and dismantle an entire criminal enterprise through a pattern of coordinated criminal conduct,” she said. Singapore, she added, offers a closer regional comparison through its Organised Crime Act, which allows authorities to pursue those who finance or direct criminal groups at the highest level. “In Malaysia, the laws contain elements of this approach, but not within a single, coherent architecture.” This fragmentation, she said, contributes to a