MP SPEAKS Let me put yesterday’s event in perspective. Forty-six years ago, in 1970, Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) was RM10.5 billion. Today, it is RM1,250 billion.

Okay, there has been inflation of about 400 percent, between 1970 and now.So, RM10.5 billion would be RM42 billion in today’s ringgit. And in real terms, our GDP is now 30 times bigger than it was in 1970!

Okay, we also have to factor in the population growth. We were about 10 million people in 1970. We are now 30 million. So, per capita GDP has increased 10-fold over the past 46 years.

But are we living 10 times better? Are we 10 times more comfortable? Certainly not! Our college students are burdened with huge loans that will take years to pay.

Our young people can’t afford to buy houses of their own. Their income just isn’t enough! Many ordinary families are struggling to make ends meet, despite working overtime.

Why is this happening? We are a rich country. Our per capita GDP has grown 10-fold, yet we are suffering! The problem is that a lot of the wealth in this country has been grabbed by the top 10 percent. That is why the rest of us are struggling.

To challenge the top 10 percent and claim a fair share of the wealth of this nation, the ordinary people have to get together.

Let's not be divided by race or religion

This is why the PSM organises events, such as the May Day rally yesterday - to bring people together to talk about our issues and demand a better distribution of our wealth.

It is important that we do not remain divided by race or religion, but work together to create a more fair society. We should be concerned about the welfare of all Malaysians, whatever race they belong to.

It is only when an Indian activist speaks up for poor Malays, and Malay progressives champion the cause of the Orang Asli can we build the peoples’ movement that can challenge the greed of the top 10 percent.

We have in our midst 5.5 million foreign workers. And it is true that their presence poses problems for our working people – because foreign workers can be bullied into accepting lower wages or to long work hours without overtime.

Malaysian workers from the bottom 40 per cent household income group (B40) have difficulty finding jobs. The bosses much prefer to employ the foreign workers.

But let’s be clear here - the foreign workers are not our enemy, and the way out is for us to empower them.

If these foreign workers are not so easily bullied, then they would not represent such a big savings to the bosses. And our B40 would have better access to jobs. Empowering migrant workers is good for our B40.

Unfortunately, many Malaysians do not understand this. Whenever the PSM speaks up for foreign workers there are netizens who are quick to chide us, saying that we should be concerned about local workers.

They do not understand that protecting foreign workers from exploitation is actually beneficial to our workers.

If we wish to redistribute the wealth of this country more equitably, we must understand who the real enemy is. The eal enemy is not the foreign worker but that portion of our elite who make hundreds of millions of ringgit in commissions and fees from the business of importing foreign labour.

Its only when we understand this reality can we address income inequality in Malaysia in a meaningful way.

Workers of the world unite!! Happy Labour Day!!!

DR MICHAEL JEYAKUMAR, the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) MP for Sungai Siput, released this statement yesterday, May 1.