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Indonesian community in Kampung Baru rallies around unpaid migrant workers amid Covid-19 shutdown

Source
Malay Mail - May 2, 2020

Soo Wern Jun, Kuala Lumpur – With the Raja Bot market ordered to shut on April 28, many migrant workers who earn a living there have been left with insufficient funds to see them through the 14-day closure.

As it is, following the movement control order (MCO), the market's migrant workers were earning less than their usual daily wage, an Acehnese migrant worker told Malay Mail.

"With the MCO in effect, the market was open for shorter hours and fewer days in a week. "Because of this, we were paid less," said the migrant worker who spoke on condition of anonymity.

For some stall owners, they had even decided to shut entirely during the MCO period as there were problems with the logistics used to transport fresh produce to the market.

The Acehnese worker said since the MCO began, migrant workers who earn their keep at the market have had to depend on each other for food.

"Some of my friends (migrant workers) who have extra are helping me buy some basic essentials like rice and fresh produce.That's the only way that I can survive until the 14 days are over," the migrant worker said.

When asked how long he has been working at the market for, he replied that it has only been for about a year.

"I came to Malaysia as a construction worker.

"But I can't work as one anymore due to my poor physical fitness.

"So I took up a job at the market, just carrying fresh produce from lorries to traders' stalls or helping out with whatever else is needed," he said.

The market along Jalan Raja Bot in the inner city neighbourhood of Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur was ordered to close for two weeks by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

This is to make way for sanitation work while the MOH conducts a Covid-19 screening of all traders, workers, family members and visitors to the market prior to the shut order.

Previously, the market was also closed on April 20 and 23 for sanitation work and traders were required to clear their stalls.

Equally affected by this situation is market trader Zainuddin Abdul Rahman, who is a permanent resident in Malaysia. He said he is trying to think of how he can support his migrant workers during the 14-day break.

"For the traders, they can still survive for the next 14 days, but I'm worried about my workers. Most of them are paid a daily wage. I'm going to try and see what I can do to help them," he said when met by Malay Mail at Jalan Raja Bot.

Another migrant worker, who only wanted to be identified as Izzah, said she had not been paid since the start of the MCO on March 18.

Izaah said this is due to the fact that her employer operates a cosmetic company that does not fall under the essential services category and therefore was not allowed to open during the MCO.

"Business was already deteriorating before the MCO was put in place. We were barely making enough to pay for the shop's rental. So with the shop shut throughout the MCO, I'm quite worried that we won't make it," she said when met at her home on Jalan Raja Alang.

Izzah came to Malaysia 18 years ago to look for a job to support her family in Surabaya.

"I came to Malaysia because the wages here for a labourer is threefolds that of what I'd get if I worked in Indonesia. Although the economy isn't doing very well here, I can still make more than back home," she said.

When asked how she is coping with the MCO and being unpaid, Izzah said she had some help from the Indonesia embassy prior to the MCO taking effect.

"I'm really grateful that my government is watching out for us. At the same time, my family is also here, and we have been supporting each other.

"The only sad part about the MCO is that we may not be able to spend Hari Raya together," she added.

She, however, said she is concerned about the prolonged MCO which will result in her being unpaid for a longer time.

"On top of sending money home, I have to think about saving enough money to pay for my work visa renewal fee. That's RM3,500 a year. I hope I have enough for the next renewal," she said.

Apart from her visa renewal, Izzah had been planning to visit her family in Surabaya this year, but due to the Covid-19 outbreak, she will have to cancel her plans.

The Raja Bot market is the fifth market ordered to shut for two weeks to make way for sanitisation and a compulsory Covid-19 screening of market traders, workers, family members and those who visited the market before April 28.

The other markets that were ordered to shut earlier included the Selayang wholesale market, Pasar Borong Harian Selayang, Taman Megah market and Jalan Othman wet market.

Source: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/05/02/indonesian-community-in-kampung-baru-rallies-around-unpaid-migrant-workers/186225

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