“Vietnam to verify report of 'modern slavery' among workers in Malaysia”, 22 September 2014

Vietnam will investigate whether 40 percent of its migrant workers suffer passport retention and debt bondage in Malaysia’s electronics sector as suggested in a US-funded report, which described the situation as tantamount to "modern slavery." “The Vietnamese Labor Management Board in Malaysia will follow up on the information provided in the report,” [said] Nguyen Thanh Hoa, deputy labor minister…Verité said each Vietnamese worker had to work off 3,500 Malaysian Ringgit (US$1,080) in recruitment fees -- the highest amount compared to workers from other countries, including Myanmar, Indonesia and Nepal. Meanwhile, Vietnamese workers received the lowest salaries – around 1,000 Malaysian Ringgit ($308) a month…Hoa…said his ministry would work with their Malaysian counterpart to review and change their bilateral cooperation agreement…