The Sentinel, India, 30 May 2021 - If you spoke to a business owner in one of India's sprawling cities at any time in the last 15 years, a certain crop of employees was likely mentioned with a touch of gratitude, even affection. Young men and women from the Northeast have earned a reputation for being efficient and efficacious, with an unwavering commitment to being and looking professional at all times. Their mere presence seems to make the establishment look like a well-oiled machine. One consequence of the year of the plague is that these industrious people are returning in tens of thousands to their home states.
Malay Mail, Malaysia, 30 May 2021 - Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today said that he will be discussing with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin the latter’s recent announcement on rounding up immigrants during the two-week total lockdown which will begin on June 1.
Opera News, United States, 30 May 2021 - A state-owned Chinese fishing company accused of working Indonesian employees to death has been banned from exporting tuna to the United States, an order highlighting an issue with often-overlooked human rights and geopolitical implications.
Tempo, Indonesia, 30 May 2021 - Indonesia has been supporting a number of ASEAN and UN programs for seafarers, who contribute significantly to the national economy, including provision of COVID-19 vaccines to them, according to a senior official.
Khmer Times, Cambodia, 30 May 2021 - Eleven migrant workers in Malaysia arrived at the Phnom Penh International airport this evening after getting help from the Cambodian embassy in the country.
Khabarhub, Nepal, 29 May 2021 - In Nepal, international migrant workers have been a major contributor to the national and household economies lately. A significant number of households are completely dependent on remittance.
Inquirer.net, Philippines, 29 May 2021 - The World Bank on Friday urged governments of countries like the Philippines to extend more financial support and vaccine coverage to returning migrant workers who were displaced due to the COVID-19 pandemic so they could build their livelihoods back home.
Malay Mail, Malaysia, 29 May 2021 - The United States is investigating Malaysian glove makers Hartalega Holdings and a unit of Supermax Corp over allegations of forced labour, the Edge Weekly reported today.
Free Malaysia Today, Malaysia, 29 May 2021 - Human rights activists have urged the government not to use the impending national lockdown as an excuse to crackdown on undocumented migrants, saying that the events of the past year have shown the health dangers of placing people in detention.
Coconuts Bangkok, Thailand, 28 May 2021 - Sealed inside a factory to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, hundreds of frustrated and angry migrant workers say they’ve been left in the dark by power outages without adequate food and no medical care.
The Straits Times, Singapore, 28 May 2021 - Singapore's relationship with migrant workers is long, unique and, most importantly, symbiotic.
Khmer Times, Cambodia, 28 May 2021 - Thousands of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand are trying to get home, according to Leung Sophon, an official at the Centre for Alliance of Labour and Human Rights (CENTRAL) in Thailand.
The Kathmandu Post, Nepal, 27 May 2021 - As thousands of Nepali workers remain stranded in various labour destination countries due to Covid-19 restrictions, migrant rights activists and experts have called for a permanent mechanism to rescue the workers.
The Kathmandu Post, Nepal, 26 May 2021 - In a bid to provide assistance to Nepali migrant workers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and related restrictions in various countries, the government has decided to collect information on their current conditions.
The News Lens, Taiwan, 26 May 2021 - A former domestic worker in Hong Kong for over ten years, Iweng Karsiwen is currently the Chair of Families of Indonesian Migrant Workers (Kabar Bumi). Initially, she was recruited to work in Taiwan when the door opened for Indonesian women seeking domestic work there. However, instead of going to Taiwan, Iweng found herself arriving at a Hong Kong MTR station late one evening a year later. Knowing how the brokering industry functioned at home and abroad, after returning to Indonesia, Iweng was determined to help those who worked abroad and who faced similar challenges at various stages of their migration. She has particularly campaigned to outlaw salary reduction. This, as well as other practices mentioned by Iweng, are commonly adopted by brokers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. Below are her reflections on her journey from being an exploited domestic worker to becoming an activist aiming to empower those who need help and those who are willing to listen and take action.
