Latest news with #foreignworkers
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Kuwaiti developer Aqarat's board approves 15% capital increase
A listed Kuwaiti developer which has large assets in Kuwait and the UAE has approved a 15 percent rise in its capital to fund expansion plans. Kuwaiti real estate company Aqarat said its board met on Wednesday and endorsed the increase from around 106 million Kuwaiti dinars ($350 million) to KWD122 million ($403 million). In a bourse statement, Aqarat said the board approved the increase following a study prepared by global consultancy firm BDO Global. At the end of 2024, Aqarat had paid-up capital of KWD106 million ($350 million) and assets of nearly $1.5 billion, according to its annual report. Its market capitalisation at the end of last year was about $2.7 billion. Aqarat is currently building thousands of houses for foreign workers in Kuwait. It is also working on a $1 billion project in the emirate of Sharjah for the development of nearly 1,100 villas and townhouses, which will be completed in early 2028. Aqarat's expansion plan follows a decision by Kuwait in February to ease some of its longstanding restrictions on foreign residents buying property. (Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
MACC remands 5 for false claims in worker permit applications
The five suspects were detained when they went to give their statements at the Negeri Sembilan MACC office yesterday. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has remanded three company directors and two managers to assist in an investigation into a case involving the submission of documents containing false particulars to obtain foreign worker permits in Negeri Sembilan. Magistrate Fairuz Syuhada Amran issued a four-day remand order until June 21 for two of them, including a woman, while the other three men were remanded for seven days until June 24. Bernama quoted a source as saying all five suspects, including two Bangladeshis and one Pakistani aged between 30 and 50, were detained at about 5pm yesterday when they went to give their statements at the Negeri Sembilan MACC office. 'The suspects are believed to have conspired in committing the offence in 2023. 'Preliminary investigations found they submitted applications under the Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0 to the Negeri Sembilan immigration department, suspected to contain false information, to obtain foreign worker permits even though the workers were not employed by the companies concerned,' the source said. State MACC director Awangkok Ahmad Taufik Putra Awang Ismail confirmed the arrests.
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- General
- Independent Singapore
‘Why is this allowed to happen, and why is there no enforcement?' — Singaporean dismayed by the state of Lazarus Beach after migrant workers' day-off gathering
SINGAPORE: A local man who visited Lazarus Beach over the weekend said he was 'dismayed' by the state of the area after large groups of migrant workers gathered there to unwind on their day off. Posting on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Monday (Jun 16), the man shared that he was initially happy to see many foreign domestic workers and labourers enjoying themselves by the sea. However, his sentiments changed when he saw the condition the beach was left in. According to his post, snack wrappers and beer cans were scattered across the sand, with some even floating in the water. He also noted that public sinks were being used as 'makeshift showers,' while toilet floors, which were clean earlier in the day, had become slippery and grimy. He further claimed that some individuals had trespassed onto private resort grounds. 'I saw several of the men enter the private property of the resorts, get chased off by a helpless single staff member, only to return the instant she turns her back,' he wrote. Another issue that particularly upset him was the fishing. 'I saw men fishing and catching and keeping even baby fish—something local anglers advocate against because it destroys the sustainability of the hobby,' he said. 'Why is this allowed to happen, and why is there no enforcement?' he asked. 'The sight of the once pristine and beautiful Lazarus beachfront was, for the weekend, turned into a sight of callous environmental destruction – and nothing was done to stop it.' Despite his criticism, the man clarified that he was not against migrant workers using public spaces. 'I have long advocated that they do need a day of rest, and places to be – I have zero issue with their congregation at hotspots like Paya Lebar, East Coast, Farrer Park, and whatnot. They are also people, and people need spaces and community. What I cannot accept is the STATE of how they leave these spaces and places. I think we need to take an honest look at their behaviour every Saturday/Sunday.' 'It's infuriating, to say the least, that they're not respecting the public spaces…' In the discussion thread, one user said, 'I'm with you on this. Groups of MW are always playing cricket in this open field every weekend, and they leave behind lots of trash. I have reported on One Service and note that there are several cameras in the vicinity, but I'm not sure if any actions have been taken since you'll almost always get the generic responses that they'll look into it, and then a couple of days later, the case is closed. It's infuriating, to say the least, that they're not respecting the public spaces.' Another suggested, 'Report to Nparks. Suggest they deploy officers there to curb littering.' A third stated, 'Their numbers are large (e.g., all concentrated on Sun), and there's a lack of enforcement here, so that's what we get.' However, not everyone agreed with the negative generalisations. One user stepped in to defend the migrant worker community, writing, 'I actually saw most of them cleaning up at the end of the day. Collected their litter in a large plastic tarp and placed it next to the bin.' In other news, a diner took to social media to highlight a troubling incident at ABC Brickworks Market and Food Centre, where people allegedly stole cutlery and crockery from a hawker stall. In a post shared on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit on Sunday (June 15), the diner uploaded photos showing a hawker, the missing utensils, and a handwritten sign. The sign read: 'Dear customers, in the past 10 operating days, 41 forks and 10 plates have been stolen. As a small Singapore business promoting sustainability, we kindly request their return. Authorities will be involved soon. Thank you and God bless.' Read more: Hawker appeals for the return of 41 forks and 10 plates stolen at ABC Brickworks Market and Food Centre Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
America's Home Health Workforce Is at Risk From Trump's Immigration Crackdown
By Augusta Saraiva and Save President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown threatens to shrink the workforce for one of America's fastest growing jobs: Home health and personal care aides. Demand for such care is expected to swell as the US population ages, and the industry has increasingly relied on immigrants to fill home health positions. Foreign-born people comprise roughly one in five US workers, yet they account for more than 40% of home health aides and nearly 30% of personal care employment, according to US government data.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Up to 10,000 Pogo-linked foreigners remain in Philippines, criticisms mount over inaction
Up to 10,000 foreign nationals linked to the controversial Philippine offshore gaming operations (Pogos) remain in the country despite a ban on the sector last year, with calls from lawmakers mounting to track down those at large and quickly deport them. Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) chief Gilbert Cruz revealed the numbers – mostly Chinese nationals – in the past week to a committee at the House of Representatives overseeing hearings on Pogos and alleged links to human rights violations, scams, and other crimes. '[Enforcement actions against] more than 9,000 illegal foreign workers have been temporarily suspended. Many detainees cannot be deported due to missing passports,' Cruz said, referring to an estimated total that included those at large. This has led to congestion in a detention facility in Pasay, a building converted into a PAOCC office, previously a Pogos hub raided and seized by the commission during last year's crackdown. There are 640 detainees in the facility awaiting deportation. Cruz said the commission was having difficulty funding their food and healthcare needs, with two in custody having died due to illness, while as many as 300 had fallen ill. Without naming other Philippine agencies, Cruz added his side was having difficulty deporting the foreign workers as 'coordination with foreign embassies for travel documents remains slow and inefficient'.
