Why are we so nasty to migrant workers and refugees? After all, Malaysia is made up of migrants and refugees unless one is an indigenous person of the peninsula or Borneo. Elizabeth Wong's article , showed how low we have stooped with regards to our fellow human beings.

Perhaps the answer lies within our psyche. Malaysians are divided along racial lines. We call this a 'pluralist' society with each ethnic group doing its thing but living side by side for the good of the country. However, racial stereotypes simmer beneath the calm facade of racial harmony.

I apologise for the examples I am about to give, but they illustrate how we perceive other Malaysians as being lesser people than us. The Malay bumiputeras believe that they have more right to the country than the 'immigrant' Chinese and Indians whose loyalty are 'in doubt'.

The Chinese and Indians believe that the Malays are weak with their survival depending on NEP handouts. All three don't think very much of the Malaysians who lead simpler lifestyles deep in the jungle and consequently, the rights of this last group have been steadily eroded.

We are constantly suspicious of 'the others' amongst us. Distrust towards migrant workers and refugees is simply an extrapolation of our innate distrust of 'the others'. We worked ourselves up on cases of migrant workers misdemeanours - ignoring the injustice done to them - because we do not trust them to be good and honest. Goodness and honesty are the preserve of our 'own kind' only.

We dehumanise them by the term 'aliens' because, deep in our warped psyche, they are lesser beings than us. We, who are relatively more prosperous compared to our neighbours, actually believe that their fate is due their inability to do as well as we have, so serve them right.

Contrast that to the 'expatriates' who are here largely by choice and are well-scrubbed up in their smart suits. They very people some of us aspire to become for they can do no wrong.

The poor migrant and refugee, whose livelihood depends so much on our goodwill (as they are not really protected by the law), has made some of us feel 'powerful'. Without any legal protection, the power wielded by certain individuals become absolute. And, as the saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In short, Malaysians have a fascistic state of mind towards Malaysians and non-Malaysians. As the government is not a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it the tireless work of NGOs that bring to light to the abuses that are going on. These are the mirrors for our own humanity, or lack of it.