Slavery At Australian Farm

An inquiry in Australia today heard the testimony of a Malaysian reporter on the issue of exploitation of foreign workers in farms located in the state of Victoria.

Saiful Hasam, who writes for Utusan Malaysia, told the modern slavery inquiry that he had gone undercover as a worker and discovered how workers were “brainwashed” with religion and trapped in debt to keep them on the farms, The Guardian reported.

“Based on my observations, they are being brainwashed using religion,” Hasam told the inquiry, adding that these workers were paid a pittance and kept in overcrowded homes with exorbitant rent, and effectively trapped in debt bondage.

Saiful had gone undercover last year, in an investigation in collaboration with Fairfax Media into the plight of hundreds, if not thousands, of Malaysians being exploited by contractors hiring foreigners to work as fruit pickers on the farms.

According to Saiful, these Malaysians were lured to Australia with promises of high incomes. He said he followed the same path that most arriving in Melbourne take, posing as a fruit picker who was prepared to work illegally.

However, he had first dropped by the offices of The Age, a daily under Fairfax Media, and set about planning his two-week stint at a fruit farm in Swan Hill, in northern Victoria.

According to the facts of the case, Saiful was paid A$110 (RM358) for 24 hours work over four days. He told the inquiry that from that amount, A$80 went to pay rent in a small home that he shared with 11 other workers, mostly from Malaysia.

“There are a thousand sad stories, they are basically the same story. They are struggling.

“For the newbies, they keep thinking, ‘Today I have to settle how many trees just to pay rental. After finishing that part, then we are struggling to collect enough money for food’.

“Sometimes, based on my experience, it’s just enough for food and rental. This is grossly unfair for the workers, because they are very hard-working,” Saiful was quoted as saying by the UK daily.

When asked if the the workers had raised concerns about their conditions with their employers, Saiful said there was always some reassurance from the person in charge of them.

“The house leader always told us, ‘It’s OK, please be patient. This is your test, coming to Australia. One fine day you will get enough money. This is normal for everybody, and even I had to go through this process.’,” Saiful testified, according to The Guardian.

He also warned that such exploitation is continuing to this day at the same level.

Saiful’s help and the Australian media’s expose is also helping lawmakers in the country to address the issue with a proposal to introduce a modern slavery act.

According to the report, the inquiry’s interim report advocated the creation of a modern slavery act and recommended the creation of an independent anti-slavery commissioner, who would have the power to “consult, advise, report on and make recommendations”.