RECRUITMENT OF MIGRANT CONSTRUCTION

WORKERS IN MALAYSIA

The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the
views or policies of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Asian Development Bank (ADB),
its Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADBI does not guarantee the accuracy of the
data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use. Terminology
used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.

BWI BUILDING WOOD WORKERS INTERNATIONAL

The BWI (www.bwint.org) :

Global union Federations on Wood, Forestry,

Construction and Building Material Sectors;

328 Free and Democratic Trade Unions around the

world, 89 of them in Asia-Pacific Region;

Representing more than 12 million members around the

world;

17 International Framework Agreements (IFAs):

Mission: to promote the development of trade unions

in our sectors throughout the world and to promote
and enforce workers rights in the context of
sustainable development.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA

Construction industry in Malaysia experience at

least 10 percent growth in 2014. The governments
Economic Transformation Program (ETP) and
public-private partnership infrastructure project
triggered the rapid growth of the industry.

This includes the mega projects of development

light rail transit (LRT) and mass rapid
transportation (MRT). This is also followed by the
need of steady workforce supply in the
construction industry.

 Within the period of 2013-14 at least 1023

Nepalese migrant workers died in Malaysia. The
cause of death ranges from occupational accident
to suicide.

In August 2014, at least three Bangladeshi migrant

workers were killed by the collapse 300 tones
concrete at MRT construction site. The similar
accident took place in LRT construction site in
Putrajaya killing two Bangladeshi migrant workers
in December.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA & ILO CORE LABOUR

CONVENTIONS

MALAYSIA RATIFIED ILO CORE LABOUR CONVENTIONS

CORE LABOUR STANDARDS

YES

NO

FORCE LABOUR
1. C29

2. C105

FREEDOM OF ASSOCTIATION
1. C87
2. C98

v
v

DISCRIMINATION
1. C100

2. C111

CHILD LABOUR
1. C138

2. C182

RECRUITMENT OF CONSTRUCTION MIGRANT WORKERS IN

MALAYSIA

Around 5.6 million migrant workers

(documented and undocumented) make
up 42 percent of the total workforce in
Malaysia
The recruitment of migrant construction
workers is through private agencies
operating both in sending and receiving
country
There is no-quota policy for migrant
workers recruitment

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT CONDITION

T

Employers are obliged to pay annual

levy/tax to government for employing
migrant workers; 1200 RM/400 usd per
worker
In practice, the levy is paid by workers
1998 employment act authorizes the
employers to ask the workers to work
more than 8 hours

Discrimination of minimum wages policy

enforcement.

Illegal passport and levy card withholding

that restrict the mobility of migrant workers

BWI ASIA PACIFIC CAMPAIGN

STRATEGY

Integration of migrant workers to the local

union through union-to-union bilateral
agreement

Scaling up the representation of migrant

workers

Global campaign of BWI Connect

Encouraging multi-stake holders

collaboration in promoting and protecting
the rights of migrant workers