Malaysian
Trade Union Congress (MTUC) wants migrant workers to pay the same rate as local workers
for public healthcare. Differential treatment of workers impacts on worker
solidarity, and can be perceived as ‘union busting.
It is most disturbing to find out that
migrant workers are also required to pay a deposit of RM600 before they be
warded in a public hospital, and a deposit of RM1,200 if they are being warded
for surgery or for child birth. When the monthly minimum wage in Peninsular
Malaysia is RM900, and RM800 in Sabah and Sarawak, how could anyone reasonably
believe that a migrant workers will be able to afford to pay such outrageous
deposits before they can be hospitalised and receive required healthcare.
Malaysia may want to have a different
rate for foreigners using public healthcare facilities and services but this
should definitely not include migrant workers.
Migrant workers come to work in
Malaysia because employers in Malaysia require workers, and the Malaysian
government wants them to come. Migrant workers, usually coming from poorer
countries, come here to earn monies for themselves and their
families/dependents back home.