RETENTION OF PERSONAL DOCUMENTS AS A FORM OF LABOR EXPLOITATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LABOR LAW IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
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Abstract
The confiscation of personal identity documents such as passports, visas, and work permits by employers has emerged as a critical issue in labor exploitation, particularly within Southeast Asia's migrant labor markets. This article examines this practice's legal dimensions and human rights implications, drawing on a comparative normative juridical approach across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand. While international labor standards clearly prohibit such conduct, domestic regulations and enforcement practices vary significantly, often leaving workers unprotected. This study finds that the retention of personal documents constitutes a mechanism of coercion and control that undermines fundamental labor rights. It proposes regional harmonization of legal frameworks, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and awareness campaigns to combat this form of exploitation effectively.
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