A job means everything to them
23/06/2007 The Star By Revathi Murugappan

According to Sandera Bahadur, operations manager of Secure Guards Sdn Bhd, there is a big demand for Gurkha guards in Malaysia.

“They are expensive, but their service is excellent. We only hire ex-army and ex-police personnel. They are all trained in using arms, although the labour law here does not allow them to carry weapons,” Bahadur says.

The screening process is tough and guards are selected after thorough vetting. Advertisements are first placed in the Nepalese newspapers and these would attract hundreds of applicants from all over the country to converge in designated interview sites in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital.

Some walk for miles from their homes, braving the harsh weather, to secure a job.

Says Bahadur: “Our agents over there shortlist the candidates, then my colleague and I fly in to do the interviews. We also make it mandatory for them to converse in English. Some will beg and plead for jobs but we only accept the best.”

Once the guards arrive in Malaysia, they are given two weeks’ training on how to adapt to local culture, how to use fire extinguishers, first aid etc. Thereafter, the authorities require they undergo a four-day physical training camp at a site approved by the Home Affairs Ministry.

The guards are provided uniforms, shoes, transportation to their workplace and accommodation (usually a hostel) with basic amenities like gas, stove and fridge. However, they have to buy their own groceries, utensils and toiletries.

Secure Guards was established by a Malaysian Gurkha family in 1981 and provides armed and static guarding services to commercial establishments in the country. Presently, the company has 284 Gurkha guards employed throughout Malaysia.

“Most of our clients prefer Gurkhas as they are more committed and are easier to work with. The demand is there for Gurkha guards, but we have to abide by the quota set by the government,” says the 50-something Bahadur.

Each security company is given an allocation of migrant workers they may employ, and Secure Guards’ quota stands at 130. Their clients usually ask to interview the guards first.

Due to the rising cost of living, the Nepalese Embassy in Malaysia has set a minimum wage for Nepalese workers. For security guards, the minimum monthly salary (i.e. 26 days of work at eight hours a day) including overtime is RM1,400, whereas for the general sector (manufacturing, services and farm workers), the wage is around RM746, inclusive of overtime.

There are around 200,000 Nepalese workers in Malaysia today, although the breakdown by sector is not available.

After three years, Bahadur explains, the guards are given a month’s leave and a free return air ticket. They are allowed to renew their contract for another two years and then they must go home for at least six months before they can re-enter Malaysia.

“Life is hard for them but it is harder in their home country. Which would you choose?” asks Bahadur.