A Day in Saiful's Shoes

Have you ever wondered what life is like for migrant workers in Malaysia? Some may not be treated as equals in a land of equal opportunities, even though they are the backbone of the workforce in Malaysia.

What lies underneath the surface is the drive that they have to provide for their loved ones, which is one of the core values most of us share. The only difference being, we have the privilege of going back home to our families after a long day. Most of us can sometimes take for granted the access to necessary civil rights, the most common one being insurance.

This is Saiful’s story, one that is not uncommon amongst foreign workers in Malaysia. He is a Merchantrade Insure policy holder, and this is Saiful’s first time ever purchasing insurance.

Saiful is a construction worker here in Malaysia. He is of Bangladesh nationality. He came to Malaysia in order to provide a better life for his family in Bangladesh, his wife and two children.

Saiful works at a construction site, which he understands is a dangerous occupation. Saiful works long hours and one night, he was working up to 4.00a.m. He was operating the crane using a remote control when he accidentally pressed the wrong button, causing a load of metal to fall on him, fracturing his arm.

Saiful’s job requires him to be able to do a lot of physical work, and due to his injury, Saiful was unable to work for almost two months. He had to bear his medical costs and was worried that he would not be able to provide enough for his family during this time.

Saiful received a Temporary Disablement Allowance of RM100 for every 5 days that he was on medical leave. He said that his claims helped him with his daily expenses while he was on medical leave. He now places his trust entirely in Merchantrade Insure, encouraging all his friends here in Malaysia to purchase insurance as well.