PM INAUGURATES TIKAPUR HOSPITAL Kathmandu, 8 Dec : Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has inaugurated Tikapur Hospital at Tikapur of Kailai on Saturday morning. RSS reports from Dhangadi. The Hospital having 25 beds was constructed at the cost of Rs 40 million. Dr Narendra Kumar Khanal said the Hospital has an operation theatre and the capacity to provide service to as many as 200 patients everyday. According to him, although the Hospital has been provided quotas for three doctors, only one doctor is serving for long time. At the programme, the PM inaugurated the Hospital, a memorandum was submitted to him about the development of the Hospital. Meanwhile, the PM who spent yesterday night at the residence of the freed kamaiyas was demanded proper rehabilitation. Prime Minister Bhattarai had assured utmost assistance for the better rehabilitation of the freed kamaiyas. He left for Nepalgunj in the morning. Nnnn MAN HELD FOR RAPE IN KANCHANPUR Kathmandu, 8 Dec : Police have taken under control 50-year-old Dhwaj Ram Kami for a rape attempt on a 14-year-old girl from Daiji-9 in the district on Saturday, RSS reports from Kanchanpur.. Kami threatened the local girl while she was returning home from market and took her to his home, panicked her showing weapon and made rape attempt. Hearing the girl crying, the neighbours rescued her and informed the police, said Rajendra Nath, Sub Inspector of Police at the Area Police Office, Jhalari. Kami was taken under control by the locals and handed over to the police.The Police have said a case on rape charge would be lodged against perpetrator. Nnnn MALAYSIA DENYING LEGAL REMEDIES TO WORKERS Kathmandu, 8 Dec.: Malaysia has been denying legal remedy to migrant workers. A study by the Malaysian Trade Union Congress showed that just six per cent migrant workers have been getting access to a judicial court in issues related to forceful termination., The Himalayan Times reports. “Migrant workers do not have access to justice when they are wrongfully dismissed,” said former president of the trade union Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud. The trade union has recorded about 7,621 rights violation cases related to migrant workers since 2006. According to Mohamud, there is a nexus between labour and immigration officials and industrialists who dismiss such cases at the labour offices even before they reach the court. “To avoid migrant issues in industrial cases, they terminate the migrant worker’s visa, which automatically makes the migrant illegal in the country,” he said. Malaysia has about two million migrant workers including more than 500,000 Nepalis. “Nepalis have been suffering with the same problems but their actual status in still unknown,” said president of Pravasi Nepali Coordination Committee Mahendra Pandey. Not only for migrant workers, the Malaysian government has even been reluctant in forwarding labour cases related to their citizens to court. According to the trade union, of the 31,714 cases related to wrongful dismissals registered at labour offices, 10,016 cases were not forwarded to the industrial court between 2001 to 2011. Currently, about 51 non-governmental organisations working for labour rights have started a campaign to provide legal access for all labour cases. “We want migrant workers to be included in the basic labour rights of the country because they are helping build our country,” said Mohamud. Bahrain to deport runaway workers Bahrain has decided to deport runaway workers. Interior Ministry and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) agreed to step up efforts to crack down on runaway expatriate workers, Gulf News reported. “Violators will be deported immediately after cancelling their work permits in conformity with Bahraini legal provisions,” said Interior Ministry under-secretary major-general Khalid Salim Al Absi. The clampdown on illegal workers will be started from next week. About 60,000 Nepalis are believed to be working in the destination and two-thirds are illegal. nnnn