Saturday, December 06, 2025

Thailand 'Walk To The Future' - a struggle for a truly democratic Constitution.

In Thailand, the people are fighting for a truly democratic Constitution, and below is a statement issued by the Thai NGO Coordinating Committee on Development - as they exercised their right of peaceful assembly in the 'Walk To The Future'  


🔴Statement on the First Day of “Walk to the Future”  byThai NGO Coordinating Committee on Development (NGO-COD)

🔴Today marks the first day of Walk to the Future, a collective journey of the people demanding a new, truly democratic constitution. This walk is not only a physical movement across distance — it is a political declaration that the future must be written by the people themselves.

🔴We, the People, are Water. Politics is the Obstruction of Water.
 
By its very nature, water flows freely. Yet politics slows, delays, stores, diverts, and blocks water—so that Bangkok may remain dry while Ayutthaya, the land on which we now begin our first steps, has been submerged for more than four months. People have lost their homes and farmland. They have been displaced, distressed, impoverished, grieving, sick, and dying.

🔴Politics, therefore, manufactures tragedy and disaster, only to perform a drama of moral rescue afterwards—demanding gratitude from the very people who suffer. Yet it is we, the people, who create politics—not politics that creates the people.
 
This is no different from the people’s demand for a completely new Constitution, drafted by a fully elected Constituent Assembly. But politics stands as an obstruction once again, offering only a committee that is not elected by the people.
 
We, the People, are Water. Each drop joins another to form a current—a mass movement—that will push through every obstruction. Like water flowing freely, we carry our collective dreams to declare loudly that:

🔴“We do not agree with amending the Constitution through a Constituent Assembly that is not fully elected by the people.”

🔴Because “whoever writes the law writes it for their own class.”
 
We, the People, are Water. Good politics is good water governance—allowing floods to spread naturally across floodplain cities such as Bangkok and other economic centers, letting the water pass through without creating tragedy. It is not the creation of man-made obstructions that divert water and impose disaster upon the people of Ayutthaya and other provinces.

🔴We, the People, are Water. Each drop becoming a current—a movement. If today and tomorrow politics continues to place barriers in the path of water, preventing our free flow, then the natural cycle of water will persist regardless. Water will evaporate into vapor, rise into clouds, accumulate moisture, and return as rain, giving life to all living things.

🔴If today we cannot yet obtain a fully elected Constituent Assembly, then tomorrow the sky will burst open upon politics in a torrential downpour—creating a political reckoning that forces the will of politics to align with the aspirations of the people.
 
The life cycle of we, the people is long—generation after generation without end. Politics, in contrast, has a short life cycle when viewed from the people’s perspective. It cannot be relied upon as a sustainable source of hope.
 
We walk to accumulate victories.
We walk to change the future.
We walk to break through political obstacles with hope and fierce determination—because a good Constitution must be written by the hands and feet of the people themselves.
 
With respect,

Thai NGO Coordinating Committee on Development (NGO-COD)
6 December 2025


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at 22:40 0 comments

Thursday, December 04, 2025

'One...two...three, gunshots' - Lawyer wants cops in Malacca shooting charged with murder(Malaysiakini)? RIGHT - the investigation should always be for MURDER in all police shot people dead cases.

 'One...two...three, gunshots': Chilling audio clip of unfinished phone call during police op points to trio's cold-blooded murder

It is great that more and more lawyers are acting to HIGHLIGHT possible police wrongdoings...and it is good that they are doing so publicly - to draw public attention to this issues. 

It must be pointed out that police have been caught lying in cases of death in custody and police shot dead instances before in Malaysia... so, do not blindly trust police version of what actually happened 

on 31/5/2023 that the coroner’s court, presided by Coroner Rasyihah Ghazali, for ‘police shooting that resulted in death of 3, ‘…. concluded that there was abuse of power and elements of a criminal nature in the death of three men who were shot at close range by police three years ago. “The shots were not fired in self-defense. There was abuse of power and (actions in the nature of) criminal elements by police in the death of the men,”… She said police witnesses gave evidence that shots were fired at the men from an upright position but post-mortem reports stated that the bullets pierced their bodies at a downward angle. … “The weapons described by the ballistic expert (Izzuwan Marzuki) and the investigating officer (P Visvanathan) were also in conflict,” (FMT, 31/5/2023) Another 4 not arrested, but SHOT DEAD by Malaysian Police in Sabah? Charge them in Court - and let the Courts decide on GUILT or Innocence...

All cases of police shooting that resulted in death must be first investigated as MURDER(Section 302 Penal Code) - Why? Without a doubt, the police killed someone. Investigations may reveal evidence that it may not be MURDER but some other killing offences. There may arise evidence of 'self defence' during the investigations - BUT it is not for the police or the public prosecutor to decide GUILT or INNOCENCE, or whether the defence of 'self defence' ought to be accepted - that is the DUTY of the COURT...and court only. The police officers after a TRIAL may be acquitted if the court finds that the defence of 'SELF DEFENCE' or any other defence makes them not criminally liable for the deaths caused. That is HOW it is and should be.... 

INQUEST - the law says that a CORONER should inquire into all deaths, and for Deaths in Police Custody, the law says clearly (or rather emphasizes again) that there must be an inquiry by the CORONER into the death. 

334  Inquiry into cause of death of a person in custody of police or in any asylum 

When any person dies while in the custody of the police or in a psychiatric hospital or prison, the officer who had the custody of that person or was in charge of that psychiatric hospital or prison, as the case may be, shall immediately give intimation of such death to the nearest Magistrate, and the Magistrate or some other Magistrate shall, in the case of a death in the custody of the police, and in other cases may, if he thinks expedient, hold an inquiry into the cause of death.

Should we amend the law, to add another provision requiring the CORONER to conduct an inquiry in all cases of death caused by police in cases where police ended up killing the suspect?

When the police are the alleged perpetrators of crime - it is 'DIFFICULT' for the police themselves to investigate....??? That was why we wanted  Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), who had the power to investigate the police, and rightly should have the power to prosecute the police for crimes too ...(Alas, PM Anwar Ibrahim effectively killed this initiative of the 1st PH government, by putting into force that Act that created a 'sorting commission'[ Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)]  rather than one with power to investigate and prosecute police for crimes - See the 'SILENCE' of this new Commission???)

 

Lawyer wants cops in Malacca shooting charged with murder
Hariz Mohd
Published:  Dec 4, 2025 1:12 PM
⋅
Updated:  12:35 

The police officers who shot dead three men in Malacca last week should be charged with murder, a lawyer representing the victims’ families said today.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Rajesh Nagarajan refuted the police version of the event, which claimed the men had attacked the police officers with machetes and caused serious injuries to one of them.

“With reference to the forensic audio analyst’s report, which states that no such incident was recorded from the moment the car was stopped, I am of the opinion that this must be a pure fabrication by the police.

“The audio is clear, the evidence is clear; the police had the three individuals in their custody for more than 10 minutes before the three individuals were shot and murdered.

“The police officers in Malacca must be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder,” he said.

‘Attacked with machetes’

According to media reports, a police team had shot dead three men in an oil palm plantation in Durian Tunggal, Malacca, on Nov 23.

Malacca police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar reportedly said police had opened fire on the three men, who were allegedly involved in armed robberies, after they attacked a police officer with machetes.

The officer was said to have suffered serious injuries to his left hand and almost lost his life.

The case also gained the attention of Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M Kumar, who visited the corporal at the Malacca Hospital on Nov 25.

However, families of the deceased men had since rejected the police’s account of the incident.

During a press conference yesterday, they cited an alleged audio recording of the incident, where the trio could be heard cooperating with the police as they were being detained.

Following this, Kumar issued a statement announcing that Bukit Aman will take over the case and vowed a “transparent, fair, and professional investigation”. - Malaysiakini, 4/12/2025

The Malaysian Bar Demands an Immediate, Independent Investigation into the Disturbing Police Shooting and Leaked Recording 4 Dec 2025 2:22 pm

The Malaysian Bar expresses its deep concern over the reports surrounding the recent police shooting in Durian Tunggal, where three young men, M Puspanathan, 21, T Poovaneswaran, 24, and G Logeswaran, 29, were killed during a police operation.  A purported audio recording of an unfinished telephone call1 has since circulated publicly.   According to media reports, a forensic examination commissioned by the families’ lawyers suggests that the circumstances may differ significantly from the account initially provided by the authorities.  Although the full facts remain unverified and the authenticity and context of the recording must be established by the relevant agencies, the seriousness of the allegations demands immediate and independent scrutiny.

When lives are lost at the hands of the state, the law requires nothing less than absolute transparency.  Any incident involving the use of lethal force must be examined without delay and without influence.  The existence of conflicting narratives in this case is troubling, and Malaysians are entitled to a clear and authoritative account.  All evidence must be preserved, including any bodycam or dashcam recordings, firearm discharge reports, communication logs and forensic material.  The loss, withholding or destruction of such evidence would be indefensible and would severely undermine public confidence in law enforcement.

Malaysia has witnessed too many cases where early explanations have later been contradicted under judicial scrutiny. These instances have contributed to a persistent trust deficit that cannot be ignored.  Recalling these cases is not to prejudge the current matter, but to demonstrate why transparency is not a courtesy but a necessity.  When the flow of information is incomplete or inconsistent, speculation grows, and faith in institutions weakens.  The rule of law cannot function in such an environment.

The Malaysian Bar also emphasises that officers involved in the incident should be placed on administrative leave while investigations are carried out.  Such a measure does not imply guilt.  It reflects a policing system that understands the gravity of taking a life and the need to uphold public confidence at every stage.

Malaysia should ensure that its policing practices align fully with internationally recognised standards, including the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials2. These principles make clear that lethal force must be a last resort, must be necessary and proportionate, and must be subject to independent review. These safeguards are meaningful only when they are embodied in practice, not merely in aspiration.

The families of the deceased deserve the truth, and the public deserves assurance that deaths involving state authority are not shrouded in uncertainty.  A society that expects its citizens to trust law enforcement must demonstrate that it will hold every exercise of state power to the highest possible standard.  Trust is not automatic.  It is earned, and it is easily lost.

The Malaysian Bar urges the authorities to act with urgency, preserve all evidence, and ensure that an independent inquest is convened without delay.  Only a transparent process anchored firmly in the rule of law can restore public confidence.  The credibility of our institutions, and the safety and trust of the community, depend on it.


Mohamad Ezri b Abdul Wahab
President
Malaysian Bar

4 December 2025

1 “ ‘One…two…three, gunshots‘: Chilling audio clip of unfinished phone call during police op points to trio’s cold-blooded murder”, MalaysiaNow, 3 December 2025.

2 Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

- Malaysian Bar WEBSITE 

 

'One...two...three, gunshots': Chilling audio clip of unfinished phone call during police op points to trio's cold-blooded murder

The explosive audio clip challenges the police's claim that officers shot the three men in self-defence.

MalaysiaNow
Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan shows a news report featuring Melaka police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar, in which he claimed the killings of the trio were carried out in self-defence.

A chilling recording of a phone call has been released by lawyers for three men who were shot and killed by police on Nov 24 in Durian Tunggal, Melaka, providing shocking evidence that challenges the police's claim that the killings were carried out in self-defence after the men allegedly attacked one of the officers.

A forensically examined audio recording of the incident was released by lawyers representing the families of Puspanathan Murulitharan, 21, Poonesvaran Tiagarajan, 24, and Logeswaran Georgie, 29, three men whom police later claimed were armed with machetes and were "highly wanted" members of a criminal gang.

Hours after the incident, Melaka police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar told the media that one of the policemen was "viciously hacked in his left hand".

"Police had no choice but to open fire on the suspects," Dzulkhairi was quoted as saying on Nov 24, adding that three parangs, a metal cutter, three face masks and three gloves were also seized.

However, while the incident was taking place, Logeswaran had just started a phone call with his wife, Jeyasri Manoharan, informing her that three vehicles were suspiciously tailing their car as they headed northbound to Kuala Lumpur along the North-South Expressway.

Logeswaran did not hang up, and Jeyasri heard and recorded the rest of what took place, from the time the police dragged them out of their car to the moment officers counted to three before gunshots were heard.

Jeyasri Manoharan, widow of Logeswaran Georgie, with their daughter during a press conference at Lawyers for Liberty, Petaling Jaya.

The audio recording lasts 13 minutes and 53 seconds.

An organisation, Hindu Service Centre or Hindu Agamam Ani Malaysia, later handed over the clip to a forensic investigation firm, where it ws tasked with analysing the audio recording, enhancing its clarity, transcribing the conversation, and provide a context of the scenario captured in the recording.

"One, two, three, pull, pull," a man identified as a police officer is heard saying in the clip, which was played at a press conference today.

"Ah, this, switch it off, switch it off, this is evidence, switch it off," said another voice at the end of the recording. "Hey, this is Loges's... (inaudible) wait, wait, wait, wait."

Sachpreetraj Singh.
Sachpreetraj Singh.

Speaking to reporters, lawyers Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh demanded that Bukit Aman police establish a special task force to investigate the incident, including to launch a murder investigation.

"No delay is acceptable," said Sachpreetraj.

He said all officers involved in the incident, as well as those who attempted to cover it up with a "false narrative", should be immediately suspended.

"No officers, senior or otherwise, should be exempt from accountability."

Meanwhile, Rajesh said it would be a mockery if the police themselves were to investigate the incident.

He also called on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to urgently discuss the case and set up an independent inquiry.

"We want the police officers who committed the murders to be charged. They must go to court, they must go to prison. Just because they wear the police uniform does not give them the right to kill civilians."

No sign of 'shock' upon alleged discovery of weapons

In its report, which included an annotated transcript of the recording, forensic experts also found no indication of the discovery of weapons as alleged by police.

"There is no clear audible reaction, surprise, or conversation indicating discovery of weapons, discussions about these items, or any exclamation by officers upon locating dangerous tools," said Thistlegorm Forensic MY Sdn Bhd in its report.

"The audio does not confirm or reject the presence of these items; it simply does not contain discussions consistent with their discovery within the timeframe recorded," it added.

Based on the analysis, the report also questioned the police's claim that one of the men had slashed an officer with a machete, injuring his left arm.

It said the claim contrasted with the voices of the men "expressing fear and inability", adding that there was also no sound of "distress or cries of pain from police personnel", or any suggestion that an officer had just been injured.

It added that the timeline also suggested the trio "appear to have been restrained almost immediately after their vehicle malfunctioned, without an audible sequence matching the allegation of a machete attack". - Malaysia Now, 3/12/2025

 

at 17:01 0 comments

Wednesday, December 03, 2025

Minister Steven Sim - Migrant Workers' Rights Violated/Terminated and Deported? MEDICERAM - Supply Chain of ANSELL, Top Glove, Etc..Ansell suspend its relationship with MediCeram?

Another major migrant worker issue in Malaysia - but the question is where is the Malaysian Minister of Human Resources Steven Sim ...Why is the Ministry responsible for WORKERS not enforcing the law, and preventing worker rights violations..or migrant worker rights violations?? Will it get the attention of the Malaysian government only when some country takes actions - imposition of BAN on imports from some company(companies in the supply chain) by reason of worker rights violations??
 
Is the lack of concern by the Minister, politicians and political parties because these are foreign workers who have no right to VOTE???
 
This issue started around September 2025, and  Ansell announced on November 12 it would suspend its relationship with MediCeram - a decision that is usually made after the allegations are investigated and found to be true.
 
PROBLEMS faced uniquely by migrant workers in Malaysia
 
1) ACCESS TO JUSTICE - To use the HR Department(Labour Department) or the Labour Courts, requires the physical presence of the affected workers in Malaysia, the moment they are not - their claims just fall. Many employers to 'avoid JUSTICE' simply terminate, cancel the workers employment visa/permit, and 'force' the workers out of Malaysia. ONE REFORM - No migrant worker to be terminated/deported before the Human Resource Ministry issues a CERTIFICATE that there are NO outstanding claims against the Employer by said workers,
 
2) EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT - Migrant workers agree to come to Malaysia to work at a Malaysian company usually for a minimum period of 3-5 years, but sadly many of the workers are forced to sign 'ANOTHER' employment agreement usually for 1 year(one reason then was the this was the Immigration Department requirement as employment passes/permits are issued for a year at a time), so workers are 'tricked' or 'convinced' to sign 'new employment agreements' to get their work permit/passes - problem is the new agreement may not be in the language where the migrant worker is literate in. REFORM SUGGESTED - Use the ORIGINAL Employment Agreement of 3-5 years(maybe HR Ministry can legally require this ORIGINAL Agreement to be deposited with the Ministry). Immigration Department can still issue yearly employment passes/permits but not insist on 1 year agreements, or BETTER still, the employment passes/permits should be issued for 3 to 5 years(as per the ORIGINAL employment agreement). This would also end the 'THREAT' that the employment passes/permits will not be renewed if the worker does not OBEY the employer(meaning do not fight for their rights OR for for better rights.)
 
3) In Malaysia, the law is clear that the employer cannot hold worker's PASSPORTS - but it still happens. Why hold the Passports - it like a lease on a dog. Please ENFORCE the laws..
 
4) It is now accepted that the employer of Migrant workers is obligated to repay migrant workers for recruitment fees they paid to agents to get their jobs at the Malaysian factory - BUT, sadly Malaysia has still not ENACTED the law that makes it an obligation for the EMPLOYER to repay workers this recruitment fees _ Why is that Minister Sim?
 
MALAYSIA  need to be careful because it may be considered a HUMAN TRAFFICKER by reason of its laws/policies/practices that now still allows employers to EXPLOIT workers and violate their rights..
 
The problem existed during the OLD BN rule, and when Pakatan Harapan ousted the BN government - many expected that finally there will be REFORMS and justice will prevail.... BUT... 
 
See also:-
 

Workers deported from Ansell-linked Malaysian factory after abuse allegations

By investigative reporter Ben Butler
MediCeram generic

Manufacturer MediCeram has been accused of human rights abuses by its workers. (Facebook: MediCeram Sdn Bhd)

In short:

A former supplier for the Australian glove company Ansell has fired migrant workers after claims of human rights abuses at its Malaysian factory.

Mould manufacturer MediCeram is accused of abusing the rights of more than 200 Bangladeshi workers, with Ansell suspending its partnership with the company.

MediCeram has denied all allegations and says it is the target of an "unfair" campaign.

 

Malaysia: Bangladeshi workers employed by glove co. Mediceram supplying to major multinationals protest alleged rights abuses & forced deportations; incl. cos. responses

lnzyx Getty Images

On November 4, Mediceram executives dragged us onto a bus to the airport. We were literally crying.
Bangladeshi worker employed by Mediceram

In November 2025, it was reported that 180 Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia were allegedly dismissed by the Malaysian glove manufacturer Mediceram at the end of October after they protested the non-renewal of many of their visas. Mediceram – a glove manufacturer – allegedly supplies to major multinationals including Ansell, YTY and Top Glove.

Ten of the Bangladeshi workers allegedly were then deported after being “forcibly” taken to the airport by Mediceram executives, and an additional six were deported later in November, according to The Daily Star. The remaining workers were allegedly threatened with deportation by the company. Later in November, around 150 of the workers wrote an ‘open letter’ protesting the forced repatriations and urging intervention in the case. The open letter calls for the workers to be transferred to a new employer.

The allegations follow previous reporting of labour rights violations at Mediceram, including wage theft and recruitment fee charging. Reporting says that, while Mediceram refunded the workers’ recruitment fees, the workers’ visas remained expired, which led to repeated protests throughout the year.

According to reporting by ABC News in September 2025, a complaint was lodged with the federal Treasury in Australia (which runs the Australian National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct) against buyer Ansell, alleging a range of abuses at Mediceram, including wage theft, debt bondage and forced labour. Ansell told ABC News that it investigated the allegations and "identified a number of issues that did not meet international labour standards". Mediceram denied the allegations.

In November 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Mediceram, Top Glove, YTY and Ansell to respond to the allegations of dismissal and forced deportations, and to disclose the steps they have taken to investigate and remedy workers for the abuse reported. We also invited the buyers to disclose any human rights due diligence they undertake prior to entering into contracts with suppliers and when monitoring working conditions at suppliers. Responses from Mediceram, Ansell, Top Glove and YTY can be read below.

Later in November, several news outlets reported that around 100 workers employed by Mediceram and another Malaysian company, Kawaguchi Manufacturing, protested in Kuala Lumpur demanding unpaid wages, fair compensation and an end to labour rights abuse (The Associated Press could not immediately reach the companies for comment - see more on abuses at Kawaguchi Manufacturing here, including responses from the buyers).

It was also reported that Ansell suspended its relationship with Mediceram (see Ansell's press release here), and that the workers have filed a police complaint against Mediceram.

Company Responses

YTY Industries View Response
Ansell View Response
Top Glove View Response
MediCeram View Response

Timeline

International Solidarity Campaign: Justice for the 177 Fired Mediceram Workers

Stop Forced Deportations, Passport Confiscations and All Forms of Threats — Defend the Rights of Bangladeshi Migrant Workers Exploited in Malaysia! Issued by international socialist, labour, and youth organisations in solidarity with the workers of Mediceram Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia.

Oleh
pada25/11/2025
suntingan terkini25/11/2025
Bangladeshi workers organizing in protest against slave-like conditions at Mediceram Malaysia, despite repeated criminal actions taken by the employers against them.

Bangladeshi workers organizing in protest against slave-like conditions at Mediceram Malaysia, despite unlawful actions repeatedly taken by the employers against them.

The neoliberal era has seen a dramatic rise in the use of migrant labour in Malaysia. To safeguard the profits of the capitalist class, profits worth billions and to deepen an already extreme wealth divide, both the government and the business elite have upheld policies that push wages to brutally low levels. Migrant workers, trapped in this structure, have become the prime victims of this economic system.

2025 11 25 international solidarity campaign mediceram workers bangladesh malaysia 3 sosialis alternatif International Solidarity Campaign: Justice for the 177 Fired Mediceram Workers Sosialis Alternatif

For decades, countless reports and investigations have exposed the appalling living and working conditions faced by migrant workers — conditions that resemble modern-day slavery. Whenever workers, whether local or migrant, attempt to organise collectively and fight back, their efforts are met with intimidation, threats, and retaliation from employers. This culture of “gangsterism” reflects the deep arrogance of bosses who see workers’ demands for dignity and justice as a threat, particularly when it comes to migrant workers who already shoulder immense risks simply by seeking a livelihood abroad.

Since 2017, hundreds of Bangladeshi migrant workers at Mediceram Sdn. Bhd., a ceramic mould factory supplying glove manufacturers in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, have faced systematic exploitation. The company supplies multinational brands such as Ansell, Top Glove and YTY, yet the workers themselves endured unpaid wages, confiscated passports, expired work permits, and threats whenever they attempted to assert their rights.

Workers were forced to pay recruitment fees of RM22,500 (around US$4,800) to agents and human trafficking syndicates, a blatant violation of international labour standards and Malaysian labour laws. After months of deception, intimidation and broken promises, these workers finally took the courageous step of organising collectively. Since 2023, the workers, through the leadership of their committee, have repeatedly carried out strike actions to resist exploitation by Mediceram’s management. To date, we have been informed that approximately 15 strikes have taken place, with the most recent one held on 22 October 2025.

On 31 October 2025, 177 Bangladeshi workers engaged in collective strike action were summarily dismissed, their visas cancelled, and members of the workers’ committee were forcibly deported to Bangladesh. Workers themselves have testified that the company used outright “gangster tactics” to force them into vehicles and push them out to the airport. As we write this statement, the company is involuntarily deporting more workers back to their home country, even though their case is still ongoing under the Industrial Relations Department.

Workers’ Demands

Through their workers’ committee and legal representatives, the workers filed official complaints with the Labour Department (JTK), Industrial Relations Department (JPP), and the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. Yet they were met with indifference, bureaucratic negligence, and even intimidation — with officials reportedly telling them to “apologise to the employer and return to work” after holding private discussions with company representatives.

2025 11 25 international solidarity campaign mediceram workers bangladesh malaysia 4 sosialis alternatif International Solidarity Campaign: Justice for the 177 Fired Mediceram Workers Sosialis Alternatif

The workers’ demands are legitimate, reasonable, and grounded in law:

  • Transfer all dismissed workers to other employers in Malaysia with valid work permits.
  • Immediately stop all forced deportations of Mediceram workers — and reinstate work permits for those already deported to Bangladesh.
  • Conduct a full investigation into Mediceram Sdn. Bhd. for labour rights violations, deception and threats — and blacklist the company from hiring Bangladeshi workers.
  • Pay all outstanding wages, overtime, and recruitment fees — including for workers who have already been deported.
  • Ensure accountability and transparency from the Bangladesh High Commission, which has failed to protect its citizens and has been accused of corruption and negligence.
  • Guarantee the safety, dignity and lawful employment of all affected workers.

2025 11 25 international solidarity campaign mediceram workers bangladesh malaysia 5 sosialis alternatif International Solidarity Campaign: Justice for the 177 Fired Mediceram Workers Sosialis Alternatif

A Wider Struggle: Fighting Capitalist Exploitation and State Failure

The Mediceram case exposes the reality faced by millions of migrant workers across the world — trapped within a global supply chain that profits from their exploitation. The struggle of the Mediceram workers is a collective, legitimate act of resistance — a powerful tactic that reveals the oppression they face inside the workplace.

This oppression is not accidental. It is a direct consequence of a capitalist system that prioritises profit above the wellbeing of the working class. The workers’ fight is not only an economic issue but also a political one. It is tied to human trafficking networks, corrupt labour intermediaries, and state structures that refuse to protect the working class. Their struggle crosses national boundaries — demanding international working-class solidarity, militant organisation, and unity across industries and nations.

Our Call

We, the socialist, labour, and youth organisations endorsing this statement, demand:

  • An immediate halt to all forced deportations of Mediceram workers.
  • Full justice and compensation for all dismissed and deported workers.
  • The immediate return of confiscated passports used as tools of intimidation.
  • Re-employment and legal work permits for workers who were forcibly deported, enabling them to work for new employers in Malaysia.
  • Full transparency and accountability from the Malaysian government and the Bangladesh High Commission, with firm action against Mediceram.
  • The restoration of workers’ rights to organise freely and defend themselves.
  • Active involvement by Malaysian trade union leaders to build networks of solidarity that prevent such abuses from ever recurring.

We demand that the Malaysian government, particularly the Department of Industrial Relations and the Department of Labour, take action to resolve the crisis faced by Bangladeshi workers who have been exploited and oppressed under the management of local agents and Malaysian companies. We also call on the Government of Bangladesh, especially the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, to urgently act on the official appeal submitted by the Mediceram Workers’ Committee on 6 November 2025, which demands investigation, compensation, and justice.

International Solidarity and Action

We urge trade unions, socialist organisations, and workers’ movements worldwide to:

  • Send solidarity letters to the Malaysia Embassy or High Commission in your country, supporting the Mediceram workers’ demands.
  • Organise protests, pickets, or solidarity photo actions at Malaysia embassies.
  • Share statements, reports and testimonies about the workers’ struggle.
  • Pressure multinational companies such as Ansell, Top Glove and YTY to take responsibility for labour abuses in their supply chains.

For Justice, Dignity and International Socialism

The Mediceram workers have displayed extraordinary courage in the face of oppression. Their stand is not only for themselves, but for the entire international working class subjected to the same system. Certainly, as a Marxist organisation, we recognise that these systemic problems cannot be resolved through political pressure alone, but only through a transformation toward a social order that serves the vast majority of the working class worldwide through the taking over of industries under workers’ control and the building of socialism. This initiative represents the spirit of internationalism, built through cooperation and support from workers’ organisations across the world.

  • Transfer the Mediceram workers to a new company!
  • Stop Forced Deportations Now!
  • Justice for Migrant Workers Everywhere!
  • No to Capitalism — Fight for a Socialist System!

Issued by:
International Solidarity Campaign for Mediceram Workers
(Coordinated by Jaringan Solidariti Pekerja, Sosialis Alternatif, and international partner organisations)
Email / Contact: sosialisalternatif@gmail.com / +60176652127 - Sosialis Alternatif Website

at 23:17 0 comments

Rare Earth New Mine in PERAK? Bukit Merah, LYNAS and protest against this most dangerous industry forgotten? Malaysia suspends rare earths mining operations after river water turns blue???

RARE EARTH - How could MCRE Resources Sdn Bhd be given a mining permit for Rare Earth? Have we not learned after Bukit Merah, LYNAS - ...

Malaysia has suspended operations at a rare earth site ... Initial investigations found discharges at the rare earths mining site, operated by MCRE Resources Sdn Bhd, which matched the color of the water in the river, Johari said. Radiation readings at the site were also found to be as high as 13 becquerels, far above the 1 becquerel limit permitted under the project’s initial environmental impact assessment report, he added.

Has Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Harapan gone back on their commitments about LYNAS? 

Well, these politicians do not stay around these mines and processing sites - that could cause dangers to HEALTH and ENVIRONMENT - it is sad that sometimes governments place more emphasis on MONEY rather than people's health and the environment..

Did the LOCAL MEDIA report the contamination caused by the Rare Earth Mine in PERAK - I did not see any news, did you?

PM Anwar and his MADANI government must TRANSPARENTLY tell us the government position in Rare Earth Mining and Processing in Malaysia?

Will it also include RELOCATING Homes/Farms and the People maybe 100 Kilometers - or will be people be still placed in harm's way - COLLATERAL DAMAGE for the good of the nation....???

Will the PH-led government SHUT DOWN Lynas - or .... 

HOW many VICTIMS of Bukit Merah - does the government have the data? How will the government take care of them until they die....how can even the government compensate people for miscarriage or congenital diseases?  

 

 

Malaysia suspends rare earths, tin mining operations after river water turns blue

Reuters

A labourer works at the site of an under construction Lynas plant in Gebeng, some 270 kilometres east of Kuala Lumpur on April 19, 2012. Australian miner Lynas Corp received a preliminary license to operate the plant in eastern Malaysia, which will process rare earths imported from the Mount Weld mine in Western Australia. AFP PHOTO / Saeed Khan (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP) (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)Malaysia has suspended operations at a rare earth site and two tin mines in western Perak state following an investigation into complaints.
Saeed Khan | Afp | Getty Images
 
Malaysia has suspended operations at a rare earth site and two tin mines in western Perak state following an investigation into complaints that a stretch of a major river had turned bright blue, the natural resources and environment ministry said.
 
Minister Johari Abdul Ghani told parliament Wednesday that authorities had launched a probe after public reports about discolored water in a part of the Perak River, the second-longest on the Malaysian peninsula.
 
Initial investigations found discharges at the rare earths mining site, operated by MCRE Resources Sdn Bhd, which matched the color of the water in the river, Johari said.
 
Radiation readings at the site were also found to be as high as 13 becquerels, far above the 1 becquerel limit permitted under the project’s initial environmental impact assessment report, he added.
 
“The investigation is now focusing on the type of chemicals used in the mining process and whether it is consistent with the information that has been reported to the authorities,” Johari said.
 
MCRE did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Johari’s remarks.
 
According to its website, MCRE operates Malaysia’s pioneer rare earths mining project, using a method known as in-situ leaching, with technology shared by Chinese rare earth firms.
 
Malaysia, which has an estimated 16 million tons of rare earths deposits, has been seeking to capitalize on growing global demand for the minerals, but lacks the technological know-how to mine and process them.
 
It has been in talks with China, the world’s leader in rare earths mining and processing, on a potential refinery, and last month signed a deal with the United States on rare earths development.
 
In a separate statement on Wednesday, the ministry said it had issued suspension orders to MCRE as well as two tin mining companies after inspections found they were not complying with regulations related to effluent discharge, erosion and sediment control, and chemical management.

The suspensions were made following complaints of pollution at several rivers in Perak, the ministry said. - CNBC , 20/11/2025

Chronology of events in the Bukit Merah Asian Rare Earth development

Eight men — a welder, a shoemaker, a general worker, a pensioner, a barber, a tractor driver, a crane-operator and a cancer victim who was to die shortly — sued Asian Rare Earth in 1985 on behalf of themselves and 10,000 other residents of Bukit Merah and the environs in Perak. They wanted to shut down this rare earth plant in their village near Ipoh because its radioactive waste was endangering their lives.

 When the Mitsubishi joint venture plant opened over 1982, the villagers soon began complaining of the factory’s stinging smoke and bad smell which made them choke and cry. Worse was to come. Their health began failing, indicated not only by frequent bouts of coughs and colds, but a sharp rise in the incidence of leukaemia, infant deaths, congenital disease and lead poisoning.

For the first time in Malaysian legal history, an entire community has risen to act over an environmental issue, to protect their health and environment from radioactive pollution.

Below is the chronology of what happened when a radioactive rare earth plant was set up in Bukit Merah. Today, about 30 years later, the Government is allowing a new rare earth plant to be set up by Lynas in Gebeng, Kuantan. This new project should be scrapped if the Malaysian Government puts the health of Malaysians before profits.

1979

November: The Asian Rare Earth Sdn Bhd (ARE) is incorporated to extract yttrium (a rare earth) from monazite. The major shareholders are the following: Mitsubishi Chemical Industries Ltd (35%), Beh Minerals (35%), Lembaga Urusan dan Tabung Haji or the state-owned Pilgrims’ Management Fund Board (20%) and other bumiputra businessmen (10%). ARE seeks the advice of the Tun Ismail Research Centre (Puspati) of the Science, Technology and Environment Ministry about radioactive waste produced by processing monazite. It is decided that the waste, the property of the Perak State Government, will be kept in view of its potential as a source of nuclear energy.

1982

June : Residents of Parit in Perak learn that a nine-acre site six kilometres away has been chosen by the government as a storage dump for ARE’s radioactive waste.

30 June : Following strong protest by the residents’ committee and other political and social organisations, the plan is scrapped by the government which begins to look for another site to locate the dump.

11 July : ARE factory begins operations at 7.2 km Jalan Lahat in Bukit Merah New Village.

1983

November : Residents of Papan (about 16 kilometres from Ipoh) find out that ARE is building trenches of a waste dump near their town to store radioactive waste. The site had been picked by the government.

1984

24 May : About 6,700 residents of Papan and nearby towns sign a protest letter and send it to the Prime Minister, Perak Menteri Besar, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment.

31 May : About 200 residents from Papan protest against the proposed waste dump. They block the road leading to the site.

5 June : The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the government has taken every precaution to ensure safety and that construction of the radioactive dump in Papan will go ahead.

18 June : About 300 Papan residents demonstrate for the second time against the proposed location of the dump.

28 June : The Minister of Science, Technology and Environment, Datuk Amar Stephen Yong, states that the Papan dump is safe because it is being built according to stringent standards. He challenges critics to prove that the dump will be hazardous to health and the environment. In the meanwhile, ARE continues operating, dumping the thorium waste into an open field and pond next to the factory.

1 July : About 3,000 people, including women and children, hold a peaceful demonstration to protest against the Papan dump.

4 July : About 2,000 people continue with the demonstration despite an order from the Perak Chief Police Officer to call it off.

18 July : A Bukit Merah Action Committee is formed, comprising residents from Bukit Merah, Lahat, Menglembu and Taman Badri Shah to support the Papan residents. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) sends a memorandum to the Prime Minister stating that high levels of radiation exist at the open field and pond next to the ARE factory in Bukit Merah. One reading taken by SAM officials in a recent visit was 43,800 millirems/year, 88 times higher than the maximum level permitted by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for the public.

29 August : Michael O’Riordan from the British National Radiological Protection Board is invited by the government to inspect the dump site in Papan.

19 September : A three-man team from the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visit the Papan site at the invitation of the Malaysian government. They declare the trenches there as unsafe.

5 October : A British physicist and safety analyst, Dr William Cannell, is invited by the Papan residents to visit the dump. He finds its engineering work to be “extremely shoddy”.

21 October : An American expert, formerly of the US National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionising Radiation (BEIR), Dr Edward Radford, is invited by the Papan people to review the dump. He finds the site is unsuitable and that the trenches have thin or cracked walls.

7 November : A Japanese industrial waste expert, Dr Jun Ui, is invited by the Papan people to inspect the waste dump. He finds it unsuitable foil storing hazardous waste.

28 November : The Cabinet discusses reports submitted by the two regulatory bodies. The report by the British National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) said that residents would be safe only if certain conditions were observed by the Perak Government and ARE. The second report by IAEA said the trenches did not meet required specifications.

9 December : More than 1,500 residents in Papan stage a one-day hunger strike to protest against the government’s decision to go ahead with the plan to locate the dump in Papan. Bukit Merah residents bring in a Japanese radiation and genetics expert, Professor Sadao Ichikawa, to measure radiation levels at the open field and pond next to the ARE factory. He finds the levels there dangerously high, the highest at 800 times above the permissible level.

12 December : Acting Prime Minister Datuk Musa Hitam declares a personal interest in the Papan affair. He pays a visit to the dump.

1985

11 January : After a Cabinet meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Musa Hitam, the government decides to relocate the proposed dump site to Mukim Belanja in the Kledang Range about five kilometers from Papan and three kilometres from Menglembu.

1 February : Eight residents on behalf of themselves and the Bukit Merah residents file an application in the Ipoh High Court to stop ARE from producing, storing and keeping radioactive waste in the vicinity of the village. The Atomic Energy Licensing Act of 1984 is en-forced. It ensures that operators of nuclear installations (including the government) are held liable for nuclear damage. A five-member Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) is formed under the Act, with representatives from Puspati, the Ministry of Health and the Science, Technology and Environment Ministry.

14 October : Justice Anuar bin Datuk Zainal Abidin at the Ipoh High Court grants an injunction to the Bukit Merah residents to stop ARE from producing and storing radioactive waste until adequate safety measures are taken. More than 1,500 residents of Bukit Merah turn up at court to hear the decision.

1986

22 September : ARE claims it has spent over RM2 million to upgrade safety measures (as required by the court injunction) following IAEA standards. It invites an American atomic energy expert, Dr E. E. Fowler (formerly with the IAEA) to visit the factory. Dr Fowler states that radiation levels near ARE facilities have met ICRP standard and that the factory is safe for operation.

5 October : About 3,000 residents in and around Bukit Merah stage a demonstration against ARE’s plan to keep radioactive waste in its permanent dump in the Kledang Range.

28 October : Professor Sadao Ichikawa on his second trip to Bukit Merah reveals that radiation around the ARE factory is still above the acceptable level. He is denied entry into the factory.

16 November : A team from AELB checks out a few illegal thorium waste dump sites in Bukit Merah. They are assisted by ARE ex-contractor, Ng Toong Foo, who had carried out the dumping. Readings at one dump are between 0.05-0.10 millirems/hour (that is, 438-876 millirems/year) above the maximum safety level of 0.057 millirems/hour set by the ICRP.

26 November : Representatives from seven areas (Bukit Merah, Lahat, Taman Badri Shah, Menglembu, Papan, Falim and Guntong) form the Perak Anti-radioactive Committee (PARC).

8 December : Minister Kasitah Gadam of the Prime Minister’s Department says that radiation levels at two illegal dumps in Bukit Merah checked by AELB are safe. He says that although the AELB found that the levels exceeded the normal radiation levels this does not pose a danger as such dumps are few in number.

1987

6 February : Disregarding the High Court injunction to ARE to stop operations, the Malaysian AELB grants a licence to ARE to resume operations.

10 April : Fourteen foreign experts invited by PARC to Bukit Merah — founder-director of the International Institute for Public Concern in Canada, Dr Rosalie Bertell; Secretary of the Centre for Industrial Safety and Environmental Concern in India, V.T. Pathmanabhan; President of the Health and Energy Institute in the United States, Kathleen Tucker among others — are denied entry into ARE. At a forum held in Bukit Merah, these experts concur that ARE presents severe health hazards.

12 April : About 10,000 people march through Bukit Merah in protest against the resumption of operations by ARE.

24 May : About 300 people are dispersed by Federal Reserve Unit personnel near ARE. Over 20, including three women, are injured in two clashes that day. About 60 people are rounded up by police. All but six are released later after questioning. The six youths are freed a week later since the police do not press charges. ARE construction work for a road to the proposed permanent dump site in the Kledang Range is halted by residents.

23 July : A Canadian doctor, Bernie Lau, is engaged by PARC to set up radon gas detectors outside ARE. He finds significant amounts of radon gas escaping from the plant. Earlier, Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Arnar Stephen Yong had said the government was satisfied with the environmental impact assessment report on the proposed permanent dump. The assessment had been carried out by ARE together with the Ministry’s officials.

7 September : The hearing of the suit filed by the eight Bukit Merah residents against ARE begins before Justice Peh Swee Chin in the Ipoh High Court. To highlight their plight, supporters of PARC walk for about eight kilometres from Bukit Merah to Ipoh. Police break up their march near Menglembu. Nine people are arrested but later freed on bail. About 1,000 show up in court to give their support.

11 September : Residents march from Bukit Merah to Ipoh High Court for the last day of hearing. Their number in the court grounds swells to 3,000.

18 September : Bukit Merah residents file contempt proceedings against ARE for breaking the injunction granted to them by the Ipoh High Court in 1985.

27 October : Over a hundred people are detained under the Internal Security Act. Among them are the following: PARC chairman Hew Yoon Tat, PARC vice-chairman Hiew Yew Lan, then PARC secretary Lee Koon Bun, committee member Phang Kooi Yau and Consumers’ Association of Penang’s (CAP) legal centre lawyer representing the Bukit Merah plaintiffs, Meenakshi Raman. They are freed after two months.

November : ARE starts building the permanent waste dump in the Kledang Range.

1988

25 January : The trial resumes.

1990

13 February : The trial comes to a close after 65 days of hearing stretched over 32 months.

1992

11 July : The people of Bukit Merah win their suit against ARE. The factory is ordered by the Ipoh High Court to shut down within 14 days. ARE announces that it will appeal to the Supreme Court.

23 July : ARE files an appeal at the Supreme Court against the Ipoh High Court order to cease operations. PARC chairman Hew Yoon Tat and Lau Fong Fatt, one of the plaintiffs in the suit against ARE, meet top management personnel of Mitsubishi Chemical in Japan. They are told that ARE filed the appeal without the corporation’s consent.

24 July : Following an ex parte application by ARE, the Lord President of the Supreme Court suspends (until further order) the High Court order to ARE to stop operations.

3 August : Over 2,000 people from Bukit Merah turn up at the Supreme Court to hear the appeal by ARE against the Ipoh High Court order suspending operations at ARE. However, the Supreme Court judges postpone the hearing to 5 August because of “pressure exerted by people picketing” outside the courtroom.

5 August : The Supreme Court allows an application by ARE to suspend the High Court order requiring ARE to stop operations pending an appeal by the company. According to the judges, the closure would bring hardship to the company and its 183 workers.

1993

15 March : The scheduled hearing of the appeal filed by ARE at the Supreme Court is postponed to 7 June.23 December 1993

23 December 1993: The Supreme Court overturned the High Court decision on 2 grounds. The Court was of the opinion that ARE’s experts were more believable in terms of the results of the tests conducted by them showing that radiation was within permissible levels. Secondly, the Supreme Court said that the residents should have gone back to the AELB to ask that it revoke ARE’s licence, because AELB has the power to do so under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act. The Court said: “..it is up to the residents to convince the licensing authority that the operation of the factory is not in the public interest because of the danger of radiation to their health”.
The Atomic Energy Licensing Act, however, does not have any provision for appeals by affected communities or the public for any appeals for the revocation of a licence granted to a company by the AELB.

Despite the success of ARE in their appeal, the company later stopped operations and began cleaning up, due to public pressure both nationally and internationally.

1994

19 January 1994: ARE announced the closure of its Bukit Merah plant.

2002

6 November 2002 : The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) wrote to CAP and said that the decommissioning and decontamination of the ARE plant had not begun. It will only happen when the Perak State Government and ARE finalise an agreement.

2003

A decommissioning and decontamination exercise started in 2003 and 2005.

2010

13 June 2010 : Former premier Dr. Mahathir Mohamad disagreed with the proposal for Malaysia to build nuclear power plants and reported that “a small amount” of nuclear waste was buried in Perak.

Mahathir said, “In Malaysia, we do have nuclear waste which perhaps the public is not aware of. We had to bury the amang (tin tailings) in Perak, deep in the ground. But the place is still not safe. Almost one square mile of that area is dangerous.”

Following his remarks, The Star has discovered that 80,000 200-litre drums containing radioactive waste are currently being kept at the dump located in the Kledang Range behind Papan town. The site is about 3km from Bukit Merah and Papan and about 15km from Ipoh. And the waste is thorium hydroxide, not amang.

In fact, it is only January this year that work finally began on the building of a proper underground storage facility called an engineered cell (EC).

The ongoing cleanup of the 30-year-old problem is estimated to cost a massive RM300 million.

2011

March 2011 : The New York Times reported that as many as 2,500 workers are rushing to complete a US$230 million plant in Gebeng, near Kuantan, that will refine slightly radioactive ore from Australia. - CAP WEBSITE

 

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