TAIPING, Jan 21 (Sin Chew Daily) — Since the government of Malaysia launches the Illegal Immigrant Recalibration Plan in November last year, Everthrough Rubber Products Sdn Bhd's tyre manufacturing plant in Kamunting Industrial Park has lost 30 migrant workers to glove factories, says its managing director Ng Say Khoon.

Ng called for a press conference to reveal that his tyre manufacturing plant lost more than RM30,000 as 30 Bangladeshi workers from the plant hopped over to rubber glove factories.

The migrant workers, who have worked at the tyre plant for several months, hop over to glove factories as the latter pay more attractive overtime allowances.

Ng said a migrant worker only needs to spend RM116 to apply for a new passport from the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia, then take up the labor recalibration plan to start a new job in another factory.

His tyre manufacturing plant spent more than RM2,000 on the work permit of each worker and another RM500 in deposit to the immigration department when lodging a case of runaway worker.

Hence, Ng said many employers were reluctant to lodge a report against runaway migrant worker since it would incur financial costs. 

"The plant was unable to operate during implementation of movement control order. The company incurred RM2.2 million in losses. Now that with high number of migrant workers leaving and the requirements set by the authorities to upgrade hostels for migrant workers, the company is facing an uphill task with added costs," he said.

Ng said many factories in Malaysia face similar situation.

The company has lodged a police report and urged the government to adopt preventive measures to stop migrant workers from switching to other factories.

Ng also said he would be writing to the prime minister and human resources ministry to complain on this matter.