I read with sadness, shame and anger, JTB's letter Enough nonsense from immigrants , (Jan 19). I wished you had gone just one more small step and asked why .

You read events as printed by the media from the authorities' response. Was a response taken from the migrant workers? Thus from whose perspective are you taking your position and demanding whipping for migrants?

Put yourself in this situation and tell me what you would have done - you are detained and taken to a place with a capacity for only 300 persons, but there are already 700 people there. People sleep body to body. There are no fans, it is hot and people are sweating. While bugs and mosquitoes feast luxuriantly on your blood, you make do with rice and salted fish.

There has been no water for two days and people cannot bath or wash. Hari Raya is around the corner. You are in the camp and may not reach home for the festival. Other detainees groan in pain and sickness. There is no medicine, so colds shower are prescribed to bring their fever down.

Then news comes that more migrants have been detained and you need to make space where there isn't any left.

This is the reality in detention centers. Tell me in all sincerity what you would have done in such a situation. I will pass your ideas for action to the migrant workers.

You and I enjoy comfort because we have cheap labor and become ungrateful.

My challenge to you and the government is to send off all migrant workers home. Let us see how you and other Malaysians sustain the economy and the good life.

Finally, I hope you have some humaneness for people whose only crime is to be poor.