The men are said to be employed by New World Limited.
The men crowded the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labor and Immigration, handing over their complaints.
They wanted to be sent home, after accusing the company of ill treatment.
Spokesperson for the group, Benjamin Yong Teck Kung yesterday told The Solomon Star all twenty three of them have had enough of being treated like animals by their employers and also claiming that the company had deceived them when luring them from Malaysia to come and work at its Suavanao camp in Isabel province.
“We wish to bring to the attention of the responsible authorities the ill treatment given to us by our current employers, New World Ltd.
“Some of us have been here for the past two to three years, some even more-all of us share the same problem of not being treated properly by the company which contradicts the contracts we signed back home in agreeing to work for them.
“They totally deceived us and treated us like animals, even worse,” Mr Kung said.
The complaint submitted to the Ministry yesterday stated their reasons for claims of ill treatment by the company and them wanting to be sent home.
Their ill-treatment claims include;
- Working 24 hours non-stop, even in rain, sun, night, weekends and public holidays;
- Food; sometimes only eat rice and noodle, rice and luncheon meat (5 person large tin);
- Medical; no sick leave, no free medical assistance, pay for medicines provided for by the company;
- Workshop Department; if we fail to finish or complete our duties in 23 hours, we will be fined substantial amounts of money;
- Machine operators; if machine breakdown, the operator of the machine will meet the cost of repair and spare part;
- Skidding; Dozer operators will be terminated if fail to pull ten (10) plus and above logs and if fail to return to workers camp;
- Chainsaw operator; small log (undersize) will result in reduction of 10% (percent) from our cubic;
- Salary; Workers salary promised in the agreement is RM4, 000 ($9650SBD) per month, 50 cents per cubic but the salary received is only RM2, 500 ($6, 000SBD) monthly and 30 cents per cubic;
- Repatriation; if worker already complete agreement, contract will be deducted everything until nothing is left;
- Terminated person has to pay the penalty of RM20, 000 ($48,255SBD) and other deductions, pay for machine parts etc. If person (worker) doesn’t pay the money, he will be put under house arrest and advice family back home (Malaysia) to pay up;
- Workshop; workers are being shouted or yelled at, very intimidating for us the workers;
- Cash advance; we are denied cash advancement;
- Communication; no privilege given us to communicate by phone to families and relatives back home (Malaysia);
“Everything listed in this complaint is totally opposite from the agreement we signed before coming to work here.
“Just imagine what kind of company denies our rights of communication with our families back home and also deny us from other benefits we rightfully deserve.
“We know our employee rights, we will no longer tolerate being treated as animals by this company,” Mr Kung said.
He also said that they have also submitted a copy of their original contracts to authorities from the ministry.
Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industries, Labor and Immigration, Hence Vaekesa yesterday confirmed that his office has received copies of the Malaysians contracts and complaints however adding that he is yet to be briefed on the outcome of a meeting held between the men and immigration officers’ yesterday afternoon.
“I understand that a meeting was held between the men and officers from the ministry however they haven’t yet briefed me nor the director of immigration of its outcome.
“It is when we have received the report from our officers then we will know what action will be taken,” he said.
Mr Vaekesa said that investigations into the matter is now underway, adding that now they have received complaints from the employees, they will be seeking the other side of the story from the company itself.
He added that the immigration office will also be looking at how the men entered the country, if they are legal or illegal immigrants employed by the company.
“We will look at both sides of the story and then look into the coming in of these men-if they entered the Solomon Islands legally or illegally.
“Right now we only have information from these men and not the company, therefore the office will pursue the company’s side.
“Then and only then can we establish the course of action,” Mr Vaekesa said.
Attempts to talk to officials from the New World Limited were unsuccessful yesterday.
By JEREMY INIFIRI
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