Five stranded Nepali youths allegedly live like prisoners in Malaysia

KHOTANG, March 29: Five Nepali youths including two from Khotang have been reportedly left stranded in Malaysia for the past five months. It is said they reached there in course of overseas jobs and faced the situation due to irresponsibility on the part of Nepal-based manpower company agents who facilitated their visa process towards Malaysia. 

Som Magar of Kharma of Rupakot Majhuwagadhi municipality-11 and Sujan Khadka of Sapteshwor of Kepilasagadhi rural municipality-5 in Khotang, Suman and Prakash Tamang of Dingla of Shadananda municipality-5 in Bhojpur and Sanam Darai of Baheri, Khairaheni municipality-1 in Chitwan have sought the help of media for a rescue.

They said they live like hostages in a house room at Jalan Shala.  They appealed to the media for its help in the rescue. 

Gaushala-based Utsav Manpower Company processed their visa for Malaysia. Despite the provisions of a free visa and free ticket for Malaysia, one of the major labour destinations for Nepal, they paid the agents in installments.  They had a contract paper for eight hours works in six days in a week. But Som said none has so far reached there to receive them officially. "In the beginning, we were made to work for 18 days.  We are like prisoners here," he said. 

He added that whenever they called manpower company representatives in Nepal, they got threats under different pretexts.