Malaysia latest news

Malaysia hosts large numbers of migrant workers across manufacturing, construction, plantations, domestic work, and fisheries, linking its economy to regional and global supply chains. Policy and legal reforms in recent years have strengthened the framework for fairer, safer migration and work: amendments to the Employment Act 1955 in 2023 (e.g., expanded coverage, leave and hours protections), the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act (Act 446) was expanded in 2020 to improve employer-provided accommodation, and the Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022 entered into force in June 2024, consolidating OSH obligations across sectors.

Despite this progress, key vulnerabilities persist especially for women migrant workers including domestic and care workers and workers in the electronics sector. According to government statistics, there are more than 107,000 migrant domestic workers, with a majority coming from Indonesia. Domestic workers lack the same rights as other workers under the Employment Act. They may also be especially vulnerable to contract substitution, document retention, excessive overtime, weak grievance access, and fear of retaliation linked to immigration status. Implementation gaps for many migrant workers also include uneven enforcement (particularly in subcontracting chains), inconsistent access to information in workers’ languages, and limited uptake of due-diligence and remediation systems, as well as restricted OSH protections, especially among smaller enterprises.

Supported with funding from the European Union, the PROTECT Project works across Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to safeguard the rights of migrant women and children.