MIDDLE SPACE ACTORS (INTERMEDIARIES): THE CASE OF NEPALI MIGRANT WORKERS TO MALAYSIA

Yvonne Khor^*

• China Foreign Affairs University, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China

This paper examines the complex roles of intermediaries along the migration corridor from Nepal to Malaysia. In 2018, a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the state authorities of Nepal and Malaysia. Although stringent state regulations have affected the ability of intermediaries to facilitate the movement of migrant workers, this paper highlights the practices of various intermediaries along the corridor. A key point in the MoOU was the commitment to eliminating migration costs-referred to as "zero cost migration"-and establishing a safe migration pathway that adheres to International Labour Organization (ILO) guidelines. However, this paper demonstrates that while state policies aimed at reducing exploitative practices in labour migration are well-intentioned, they have also inadvertently led to new forms of inequality among migrant workers. This paper employs a qualitative methodology, drawing The analysis is based on recent fieldwork from semi-structured interviews and participation observations conducted along the Nepal-Malaysia corridor from September to December 2024. ,It analyses data from 40 stakeholder interviews, policy documents, and as well as past migration research projects between 2019 and 2023.