4 Bangladeshi teenagers rescued from forced labor by JTK

IPOH: The Perak Department of Labour (JTK) rescued four Bangladeshi teenage boys suspected of being exploited as forced laborers in a factory during a Labour Enforcement Operation here today.

According to Bernama, Perak JTK Director Muhamad Fauzi Abd Ghani stated that the four teenagers, aged between 14 and 16, were believed to have been working at the factory for over a year.

“JTK will seek an Interim Protection Order (IPO) for all four under Section 44 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007.

“This arrest follows over a month of surveillance by JTK at the factory before the operation was carried out,” he said after participating in the Perak JTK Labour Enforcement Operation.

The operation involved 11 JTK Perak personnel and seven members from the Secret Societies, Gambling, and Vice Division (D7) of the Perak Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK).

He added that a 58-year-old Chinese employer was also detained under Section 14 of ATIPSOM 2007 for employing underage workers.

In the same operation, 36 out of 224 foreign workers inspected were detained under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) for lacking valid passes or permits to stay in Malaysia.

Of those detained, 34 were Bangladeshi nationals and two were Nepalese. All were taken to the Perak Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) for further investigation.

According to Muhamad Fauzi, four additional violations were identified, including the lack of accommodation certification from JTK under Section 24D for the factory, which is believed to have been operating for over five years.

Other violations under Act 446 included failing to provide basic facilities as required under Regulation 4 of the Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodation, and Employee Facilities (Accommodation and Centralised Accommodation) Regulations 2020.

“Two more violations were identified under Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955 for failing to report the employment of foreign workers, as well as failing to give notice under Section 63A of the Employment Act 1955 for changes in the company name,” he said.