By : Brenda Lim

IPOH, MALAYSIA: Hundreds of foreign workers from Nepal and Bangladesh protested outside a factory in Bukit Merah near Menglembu here, after one of their colleagues died yesterday, allegedly due to the tardiness of their employer in sending him for medical treatment.

When Dil Bahadur Limbu, 41, of Nepal, complained of stomach pain and collapsed in his room about 5am yesterday, his friends rushed to the guardhouse to plead that a van send him for medical treatment.

"Instead of taking him to the doctor, they took down his name and staff number and was looking at his condition.

"At that time, his face already turned bluish black," said an upset Kumar Tamang, 24, of Nepal.

The doctor who confirmed his death said that Dil Bahadur could not be saved as he arrived too late, he added.

"I'm scared for myself now. What if it were to happen to me and our boss refuses to send me to the doctor?" he asked.

According to another fellow countryman, Prem Nath Koirala, 23, the workers began protesting as soon as word reached them that Dil Bahadur died at 5.49am, while on the way to Ipoh Hospital.

The deceased was the father of two boys and a girl, and should have been sent back to Nepal when his three-year work permit expired three months ago, he said.

"He wanted to go back when his work permit expired, but they said that they were extending our service."

He said Dil Bahadur was among 49 Nepalese workers who were working for the Seal Polymer Industries Bhd factory here, even after their permits expired between two and six months ago.

While they continued to pay the monthly levy for the permits, their passports were allegedly still with the Immigration Department, he added.

According to Union of Employees and Companies in Manufacturing Rubber Products executive secretary A. Arjunam, the factory employed some 800 workers, including some 200 Nepalese, 200 Bangladeshis and 200 Malaysians.

"They've been protesting other issues as well. They have poor living conditions.

"They want to go back, but are in a dilemma because they don't have their passports or any work permits with them," he said, urging the factory to resolve the situation.

Bangladeshi workers who joined the protest also alleged that they had to pay for their own medical expenses and that they were paid less than the agreed amount on their contract.

"Our contract says that we should be paid RM18.50 per hour, but we are only paid RM15.50.

"They even deduct an hour's pay for our meal times. We went on strike on this matter before, but it was no use," said Amamullah.

Meanwhile, a factory representative when contacted declined comment.