KUALA LUMPUR – Illegal Foreign Workers Allegedly Employed at Healy Mac’s Irish Bar and Restaurant in Malaysia. A shocking investigation has uncovered the alleged presence of undocumented foreign workers at Healy Mac’s Irish Bar & Restaurant, which operates across seven locations in Malaysia.
Despite being one of the most successful and high-profile bars in the country, the company is reportedly hiring Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Indians, and Myanmar nationals without proper work permits issued under Healy Mac’s company name.
According to reliable sources, some employees are working under visas issued by other companies, while a majority are allegedly using fake work permits. These fraudulent documents involve altering official work permits by swapping photographs or tampering with details to gain employment illegally. However, the company’s owner has neither confirmed nor denied these allegations.
Some sources speculate that the management is either turning a blind eye or actively complicit in these activities. A major concern raised by insiders is that whenever Malaysian immigration authorities or the police plan a raid at Healy Mac’s locations—including P. Ramlee, Changkat, Bangsar, Publika, Bukit Jalil, Ipoh, and Penang—the staff seemingly receive prior warnings, allowing them to escape through safe exits before enforcement teams arrive. Another point of contention is the alleged discrimination against local Malaysian workers.
Reports suggest that Malaysian citizens applying for jobs at Healy Mac’s are routinely overlooked in favor of foreign nationals, predominantly from the Philippines, India, and Bangladesh. Currently, all branch managers across different outlets are reportedly non-Malaysian, with no representation from Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, or Thailand either.
Furthermore, Healy Mac’s does not employ any UNHCR-registered refugees, which raises ethical and labor / human / refugee rights concerns. Efforts to reach out to the bar’s management for comments have proven futile. While Healy Mac’s official website lists the owner’s name, there is no direct contact number available. Calls made to various outlets to reach company owner Cyril Duffy or manager Steve Hennesy were intercepted by unauthorized staff members who allegedly blocked media inquiries.
Authorities, including Malaysian Immigration, DBKL, and the police, are urged to conduct discreet surveillance and surprise inspections at all Healy Mac’s locations. A raid could potentially expose a significant number of undocumented workers operating under fraudulent work permits, which poses a serious economic and security risk to the country. Given the severity of these allegations, it is recommended that the Malaysian government take strict action against Healy Mac’s, either by blacklisting the company or imposing hefty fines to deter future violations.
This case highlights the need for stricter enforcement against businesses that exploit foreign labor illegally. Before publishing this report, multiple attempts were made to seek comments from Healy Mac’s management. However, despite repeated efforts, no response was received. Should the company’s owner wish to provide evidence or a formal statement, this publication remains open to including their perspective in future updates.
