Visa ‘loophole’ no friend to maids: NGOs

5 August 2014
The Phnom Penh Post
Civil society / Government / Human rights / Informal migration for labor / International relations / Labor / Local workers abroad / Ministries and other national bodies / Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation / Offshore recruitment and employment / Safety and health at work / Social development
Agensi Pekerjaan Haz Sdn Bhd / CLEC / Community Legal Education Center / Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan / Glorene Das / Kuala Lumpur / Malaysian aid / Malaysian National Association of Employment Agencies / Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Moeun Tola / PIKAP / Tenaganita

Cambodia’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur has played a key role in pressuring domestic workers to stay in the country despite fears for their welfare, rights groups have said. While a moratorium was placed on sending domestic workers to Malaysia in 2011 amid mounting concerns over abuses, rights groups have told the Post that the Cambodian Embassy has hampered its citizens’ attempts to return home. Huy Pichsovann, program officer at the Community Legal Education Center, said the embassy has put “a substantial amount of pressure” on domestic workers to stay in Malaysia. …

 Alice Cuddy
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/visa-%E2%80%98loophole%E2%80%99-no-friend-maids-ngos