Labor negotiations between Malaysia and Bangladesh continue amidst apprehensions over job scam concerns.
A troubling issue has come to light, as labour authorities in Dhaka have documented the travel of up to 450,000 Bangladeshis to Malaysia for work between 2021 and 2023. This significant figure in the context of international labour migration has unfortunately been marred by fraudulent job syndicates that have left many workers stranded, indebted, and vulnerable.
These syndicates operated through fraudulent recruitment agencies, charging exorbitant fees of up to RM25,000 per worker. They promised jobs that did not materialize, leaving the workers in a precarious situation. At least 33 workers have filed lawsuits against Malaysian recruitment firms and the Malaysian government, claiming human trafficking and job scams, demanding compensation for fees paid and promised salaries [1][4].
The job syndicates exploited the official recruitment channels established under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bangladesh and Malaysia, signed on December 19, 2021. This agreement allowed over 480,000 Bangladeshi workers to enter Malaysia between 2022 and 2024. However, collusion between some Malaysian agencies and Bangladeshi intermediaries reportedly created loopholes for cheating and exploitation [1][3]. As a result, Bangladeshi recruitment agencies have been sued by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission for their role in these scams [4].
The Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur has warned workers to avoid unauthorized recruitment, especially for jobs in Sabah, which has no formal bilateral labor agreement and is targeted by fraudulent syndicates [2][3].
Regarding Anwar Ibrahim’s role, there is no evidence from the available 2024-2025 data that he played any direct or personal role in the scams or syndicates involving Bangladeshi workers. As Prime Minister of Malaysia (as of 2023 onward), his government would be involved at the policy level managing foreign labor recruitment and enforcement. However, explicit details or controversies involving him personally in this particular syndicate or scam have not been reported in the sources [2][3].
Despite the challenges faced by some Bangladeshi workers, Anwar Ibrahim has acknowledged their contributions to Malaysia's development. He described Bangladesh as an important partner and stated that a significant portion of the workers hired by Malaysia during this period were from Bangladesh [2].
In conclusion, the job syndicates that have exploited Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia have operated through fraudulent recruitment agencies, charging exorbitant fees, offering fake jobs, and collaborating between Malaysian and Bangladeshi agents. Legal action has been taken by exploited workers and by Bangladesh’s ACC against recruiting firms. The Bangladesh High Commission warns workers to use official channels only, exposing unauthorized syndicates especially targeting Sabah. There is no evidence that Anwar Ibrahim played any direct or personal role in these scams, but he has acknowledged the important contributions of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia's development.
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