INVISIBLE CHAINS...
TODAY'S SILENT FORM OF SLAVERY
Malaysia: The destination for Human Traffickers in South East Asia
Being one of the fastest developing countries in South East Asia, Malaysia relies heavily on importing cheap labors from other countries to work for construction companies. Most of the foreign workers are from Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Nepal who tend to secure a better life as their countries are usually turbulent. The population of Malaysia is above 25 and not more than 30 millions, yet it was reported to has nearly 2 millions of registered foreign workers and millions of illegal migrant workers.
Due to serious corruption in the country, workers who could not afford to pay for the registrations charges will sign themselves with illegal agents who can bring them abroad through bribing the customs. Illegal workers mostly are threaten by their bosses and their passports will be confiscated in exchange to get hired. They are usually forced to work extra time without rest with cheap salaries, some even do not get a pay but just food. Women are sometimes forced to sexual relationships with their bosses and are sold for prostitution, most of them end up getting STD's or unwanted pregnancy that sometimes ends in abortion.
Most of the workers could not seek help because their passports were gone and this makes the embassy hard to clarify their true identities. Furthermore, police seems to be helpless as most of them claims to be menaced by the polices so they pay them money to not get arrested. Without identifications, those who got arrested and put into jail end up spending a lot there and some even die in the jail and "disappear" silently.