Firms hit out at Rela raids

Nation

Monday December 4, 2006

Firms hit out at Rela raids

KLANG: Police are investigating claims from five factories that Rela members had detained 64 foreign workers, assaulted others and stole their cash and valuables during raids.

Management staff of the five factories near here alleged that at 1.30am on Saturday, a team of 30 to 40 Rela members turned up to look for illegal foreign workers. Half of the Rela members were not in uniform.

All the company spokesmen condemned the way Rela members conducted their search for illegal workers.

The five companies: Rhong Khen Industries Sdn Bhd, Golden Components Industries Sdn Bhd, Hsin Foong Manufacturer Sdn Bhd, Latitude Tree Furniture Sdn Bhd and Lam Yam Furniture Sdn Bhd have lodged reports at the Klang police headquarters over the incident.

Representatives for the factories held a press conference at one of the factories yesterday.

FENCING RIPPED: Bangladeshi workers standing in Klang on Sunday behind a zinc fencing that was allegedly torn down by Rela members who then entered their hostel.

They also claimed that hand phones and cash belonging to their workers had gone missing after the raid.

Rhong Khen Industries Sdn Bhd management staff Lim See Keong claimed that 18 of his foreign workers had been detained during the raid.

“All five factories are unhappy with the method used to search the premises as our workers have legal work permits,” said Lim.

“We also feel that such raids put fear in our workers and furthermore our workers claimed to have lost hand phones and cash after the raids.”

Golden Components Industries official Khoo Chong Kai said seven of his Nepalese workers were detained, while a Hsin Foong Manufacturer Sdn Bhd staff said 16 foreign workers from his company were detained.

Khoo said all workers had valid work permits but at 1.30am it was difficult to produce the documents as they were kept in the office.

“Detaining the workers is not a proper thing to do as it only disrupts operations of all our factories,” he added.

According to them, their workers had been detained at the Semenyih Detention Camp.

Earlier, workers of Latitude Tree Furniture Sdn Bhd claimed that Rela members had beaten them with canes and iron rods, leaving welts on their bodies when they refused to open the doors.

According to a factory supervisor, 23 of his workers were detained while two Bangladeshi workers sustained head injuries and were given outpatient treatment here.

Pressmen were shown plywood doors with gaping holes and knobs missing, which the Rela members had allegedly damaged in their effort to get into the workers’ rooms.

Klang acting OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Rodwan Mohd Yusof confirmed that five factories had lodged reports over the matter.

“We also received a report from Rela and investigations are being carried out,” he said.