Many workers in Senai โ whether from Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Rohingya community, or local workers from Sabah and Sarawak โ don't know where to turn when they face unpaid wages, document problems, workplace injuries, or difficulty getting food and healthcare. This article lists real organisations we verified through online research, not a guessed-at list. Last checked: 30 Oct 2026.
Important note: Most organisations below operate at the Johor state or national level, not specifically headquartered in Senai itself โ we could not find an NGO based in Senai. We've stated each one's actual location clearly so you know the real distance from Senai before travelling there.
1. Tenaganita โ Migrant Worker Rights & Anti-Trafficking
Tenaganita is one of Malaysia's longest-running NGOs (since 1991), helping migrant workers, women, and refugees facing exploitation, discrimination, or human trafficking.
- Scope: National, headquartered in Petaling Jaya, Selangor (not Johor)
- Help provided: Migrant worker rights complaints, exploitation/trafficking case assistance, 24-hour emergency hotline
- Address: 12, Jalan 6/11, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
- Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 AMโ6:00 PM (closed Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays)
- Office phone: +603 7770 3671 / +603 7770 3691
- 24-hour emergency hotline: +6012 335 0512 / +6012 339 5350 โ for emergencies such as abuse, rescue, arrest and detention; for non-urgent matters, contact the office or send an email
- Email: general@tenaganita.net
- Website: tenaganita.net
- Source: tenaganita.net/contact-us
- Read more: Full Tenaganita guide โ services, hotline, and when to contact them
2. Johor Bar Council Legal Aid Centre
If you need free legal advice โ tenancy disputes, wage claims, or a criminal matter โ this Legal Aid Centre is run by the Johore Bar Committee.
- Address: Tingkat 6, Mahkamah Sesyen & Majistret, Jalan Ayer Molek, 80888 Ibrahim International Business District, Johor Bahru
- Phone: 07-223 5698
- Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday, 8:30 amโ5:30 pm (per the Johore Bar website; check before you go)
- Help provided: Free legal advice and legal aid; ask the centre about eligibility rules
- Source: Johore Bar Committee (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
3. Jabatan Tenaga Kerja (JTK) Johor (Labour Department) โ Wage & Worker Rights Complaints
This is a government department (not an NGO), but it's the right place for any unpaid-wage issue or employment contract violation. According to the JTK office list, there are two offices in Johor Bahru:
JTK Negeri Johor (state office)
- Address: Aras 3, Blok A, Wisma Persekutuan, Jalan Ayer Molek, 80888 Ibrahim International Business District, Johor Bahru
- Phone: 07-2275080 / 81 / 82
- Email: jtknjohor@mohr.gov.my
Wisma Persekutuan (Johor Bahru Federal Building). Photo: Chongkian, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Johor Bahru Labour Office (district office)
- Address: Levels 9 & 10, Menara Ansar, 65 Jalan Trus, 80000 Johor Bahru
- Phone: 07-2222400 / 07-2243188 / 07-2229111 (telekerja)
- Email: jtkdjbahru@mohr.gov.my
Menara Ansar, Johor Bahru. Photo: Emrank, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Help provided: Formal complaints for unpaid wages, overtime disputes, and Employment Act violations โ you can lodge a complaint in person, by letter, email, through the public complaints system SisPAA, or the eAduan@JTKSM app (for private-sector workers in Peninsular Malaysia)
- Source: jtksm.gov.my (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- Read more: Full JTK Johor Bahru guide โ step-by-step how to file a complaint
Correction: an earlier version of this article listed the email jtkbjahru@mohr.gov.my. That address does not appear on JTK's official office list and has been replaced with the emails shown above.
4. Caritas MJD (Diocese of Malacca-Johor) โ Humanitarian & Migrant Support
Caritas MJD (formerly the Migrant Ministry) provides welfare and pastoral support to migrant communities in Johor Bahru, regardless of religion.
- Location: Pusat Kasih Caritas, within the grounds of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Johor Bahru (we could not confirm a street address; ask before you go)
- Migrant Ministry contact: Fr. Aaron A. โ 016-217 4525
- Email: caritasmj@mjdiocese.my
- Help provided: Pastoral and welfare support for migrant workers and itinerant communities
- Source: caritasmjd.mjdiocese.my and Herald Malaysia (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
5. Food Bank Johor (448 Food Bank Johor)
For workers facing a temporary financial squeeze who need basic food assistance.
Basic food items at a food bank point in Johor Bahru (Adam's Kitchen, Taman Daya). Photo: Chongkian, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Address: 8, Jalan Seri Orkid 36, Taman Seri Orkid, 81300 Skudai, Johor
- Help provided: Distribution of basic food supplies to those in need around Johor Bahru and Skudai
- Phone: 016-241 7448 (listed in one NGO directory only; confirm first). You can also search Facebook for "448 Food Bank Johor"
- Source: GivingHub Asia (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
6. Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia (National)
If 448 Food Bank Johor can't help directly, Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia runs a national free careline.
- Toll-free careline: 1700 813 446
- General enquiries: +60 12-996 0559
- Email: info@foodbankmalaysia.com
- Operating hours: 9:00 AMโ5:00 PM; their website also says they are closed on Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays, so check first
- Help provided: Referrals to the nearest food bank across Malaysia
- Source: foodbankmalaysia.com/contact-us
7. MERCY Malaysia โ Healthcare Support for Vulnerable Groups
MERCY Malaysia provides healthcare services, medical referrals, and psychosocial support for refugees and vulnerable groups, with activities that extend to the Johor Bahru area beyond the Klang Valley.
- Scope: National, with some programs run in Johor Bahru
- Help provided: Basic healthcare, medical referrals, counselling
- Phone: 03-2276 2116 (Kuala Lumpur head office, MondayโFriday 9:00 amโ6:00 pm; we could not find a verified Johor Bahru office number)
- Website: mercy.org.my
8. North South Initiative (NSI) โ Migrant Worker Caseworkers
NSI helps migrant workers confidentially with employment, recruitment, and occupational health & safety issues, in 6 languages.
- Scope: National; we could not verify a dedicated Johor office
- Help provided: Confidential caseworker support for employment and migration issues
- Phone: 03-7663 5466 (MondayโFriday, 10:00 amโ6:00 pm)
- Email: admin@nsinitiative.net
- Address: Pusat Perdagangan, A-2-7, Jalan Sungai Jernih 8/1, Seksyen 8, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor (not in Johor)
- Website: nsinitiative.net
9. Talian Kasih 15999 (JKM) โ Complaints and Welfare Help
Talian Kasih is run by the Department of Social Welfare (JKM), not an NGO. According to Sinar Harian, it operates 24 hours a day and can be reached on the toll-free line 15999 or by WhatsApp on 019-261 5999. It handles enquiries, complaints and requests relating to abuse, counselling, protection and welfare. The Sinar Harian report is from November 2020, so confirm the current number with the ministry that runs it.
10. PERKESO Careline โ Social Security (SOCSO) Questions
If your problem involves a workplace accident or PERKESO contributions, the PERKESO contact page lists the customer service hotline 1-300-22-8000 and the email perkeso@perkeso.gov.my. The page does not state operating hours, so check before you go to an office.
What We Left Out
We searched specifically for a PERTIWI Soup Kitchen chapter in Johor Bahru but only found verified evidence of their operations in Kuala Lumpur โ so we did not include them as a Johor-based organisation. If you know of a real JB chapter, let us know and we'll update this article.
Before You Contact Anyone: A Checklist
- Prepare copies of your passport/MyKad, work permit, contract or offer letter, and payslips (if you have them). Don't hand over originals unless an official office asks.
- Note dates, amounts and names โ when wages went unpaid, how much, and who the employer or supervisor is.
- Keep evidence: WhatsApp messages, photos, attendance records.
- Write down a phone number you can be reached on and the language you understand; some organisations offer help in several languages.
- For emergencies involving your personal safety, go to the relevant emergency line first.
Common Mistakes
- Paying an "agent" to handle your complaint โ start with the official channels, since JTK takes complaints directly from workers (see section 3).
- Contacting the wrong organisation โ for example a food bank for a wage dispute.
- Waiting too long before complaining; evidence is easier to collect early.
- Assuming every organisation on this list has an office in Senai โ most do not (see the note above).
Quick Guide โ Who to Contact for What
- Unpaid wages / contract issues โ Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Johor Bahru
- Being scammed, exploited, or trafficked โ Tenaganita
- Need free legal advice โ Johor Bar Council Legal Aid Centre
- Need food urgently โ Food Bank Johor / Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia
- Forced to work, passport held, not allowed to leave โ Tenaganita (24-hour emergency hotline) or MAPO 03-8000 8000
- Need general welfare support โ Caritas MJD or Talian Kasih 15999
- Workplace accident / PERKESO questions โ PERKESO Careline 1-300-22-8000
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there an NGO based in Senai itself? We did not find an NGO headquartered in Senai. The list above covers state-level and national organisations you can contact from Senai.
2. Where do I complain about unpaid wages? The Labour Department (JTK). See section 3 for the two Johor Bahru offices and the corrected email.
3. I need food urgently. Who do I contact first? 448 Food Bank Johor or Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia on the toll-free line 1700 813 446.
4. Is this information always up to date? Numbers and addresses can change. Confirm before you travel far. If you find outdated information, tell us.
5. My employer is holding my passport or won't let me leave. Who do I call? Call Tenaganita's emergency hotline (+6012 335 0512 / +6012 339 5350, emergencies only) or the MAPO line 03-8000 8000. For late wages alone, JTK is the right channel.
6. Who do I contact about PERKESO or a workplace accident? The PERKESO customer service hotline, 1-300-22-8000, according to the PERKESO website (accessed 30 Oct 2026).
Contact Us
As landlords renting rooms in Senai, we always try to help the workers who stay with us โ whether it's a room issue or you're not sure where else to turn. Don't hesitate to ask us first.
WhatsApp us at +60 12-708 8789 (https://wa.me/60127088789) if you need help finding a safe room in Senai or have any other questions.
Sources
- Tenaganita: https://tenaganita.net/contact-us/ (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- Johore Bar Committee: https://johorebar.org.my/ (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- JTK, office list: https://jtksm.gov.my/en/contact-us/headquarters-and-branches (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- Caritas MJD: https://caritasmjd.mjdiocese.my/?p=3373 and https://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/pusat-kasih-caritas-a-haven-for-all/79842/1 (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia: https://foodbankmalaysia.com/contact-us/ (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- GivingHub Asia, 448 Food Bank Johor: https://fundraiser.givinghub.asia/organizations/683 (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- MERCY Malaysia: https://mercy.org.my (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- North South Initiative: https://nsinitiative.net (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- Sinar Harian, Talian Kasih 15999: https://www.sinarharian.com.my/article/112596/berita/nasional/talian-kasih-15999-beroperasi-24-jam (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- PERKESO: https://www.perkeso.gov.my/en/contact-us/pejabat-perkeso-new/contact-info.html (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- MAPO 03-8000 8000: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2017/08/02/home-ministry-sets-up-special-hotline-for-human-trafficking-reports/1434465 (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
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