LAST July, a friend invited me to venture into his labour business - the recruitment of foreign workers. He had a Bangladeshi partner and it was a deal to handle mainly workers from Bangladesh to work in factories and plantations in Malaysia.
My friend tried to convince me of how lucrative it can be but I had to respectfully turn it down. It wasn't because I was not interested in the monetary returns. It was principally because I have no intention to go into a business dealing with human beings. The labour recruitment exercise is simply too 'messy' and stressful for me, I told him. Nevertheless, I introduced him to a few people I know who may need foreign workers in their industries.
This was about the time when the ban on Bangladeshi workers was lifted by our government. Then suddenly in October, the government started to feel jittery again and imposed a second ban.
Why? - Because the Immigration Department suspected that they are entering the country without following the system set by the government. So what else is new!
When talking of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, I remember a few interesting episodes involving them and some of our government leaders.
The first one that came to mind, although it happened two or three years ago, was the remarks made by Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.
He brought up the social problems created by Bangladeshis who befriended local Malaysian women and then left them pregnant or with children when they leave the country.
He used the term 'Touch and Go' to describe these foreign workers saying that they just came to have fun with our local women and then leave. I remember these remarks of Dr Khir Toyo because in a way, it sounded humourous. The term he used was in reference to the 'Touch n Go' cards used by motorists to pay toll charges on special 'Touch n Go' lanes at toll plazas.
It must have been some three years since the Selangor chief executive made those comments and I never thought that the situation was actually that serious until I took a closer look into this labour recruitment exercise.
And oh, was I in for a shock!
They have blue eyes
Early this year, a national daily published a story under the heading 'Bollywood-looking Bangladeshis cause social problems'. In that report, the government has accused Bangladeshis of sneaking into the country as students to work illegally, saying their circumstances are "fishy" and they cause social problems.
Home Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said Bangladesh workers were still spotted on construction sites and in restaurants despite a ban on their employment over concerns they were causing "social problems".
"They have blue eyes and look like Hindi film actors and they create social problems here," Radzi was quoted as saying by a national daily of the reason for the ban. He did not elaborate.
He said Bangladeshis of between 25 and 30 years of age were entering Malaysia as students to learn English but were working instead.
"This is really fishy. The age-bracket is suitable for employment, Bangladesh is an English-speaking country and it makes little sense for them to study English here," said the minister, citing examples of colleges where the foreign students learning English are mainly from Bangladesh.
"I can go on and on. I assure you, there are thousands of them," the minister added.
I am not shocked to learn that there are thousands of illegal immigrants in the country - they have been here for ages.
But I am shocked to learn that there are thousands of good-looking Bangladeshi men whom our local women have fallen for. Now that's seriously shocking!
If there were only a few isolated incidents, I doubt the Home Ministry would have created an uproar over the issue. But until the minister comes down clean on facts and figures, we can only assume that the situation is bad. Presumption, by its definition, can never be fair to the subject matter and in this case, it's not fair to generalise the Bangladeshis working in our country as merely here to prey on our women.
On the subject of Bollywood brought up by the minister, I know that Hindi films are popular among Malaysian women, as are handsome male Bollywood film stars.
Our own handsome VIPs
And talking of Bollywood stars, I must concede that I don't have the luxury of time to watch Hindi movies and follow Bollywood gossips and scandals.
Give me a moment. I think I can name Shashi Kapoor ( right ), the popular romantic lead of countless Bollywood fluff entertainers of the 60s and 70s where he often played the flippant and carefree playboy after all the girls. That's because I used to follow my elder siblings to watch his movies as a kid.
Then, there is of course Amitabh Bachchan (
left
) who was recently voted Indian cinema's greatest actor of all time. Well, he has been to Kuala Lumpur a number of times and I am able to remember the name from those well-publicised trips.
Yes, the two were dashing actors in their prime and their younger counterparts today must be just as good looking.
Even several of our Malaysian VIPs of Indian descent can be considered handsome. I can think of former MIC deputy president S Subramaniam, Deputy Minister M Kayveas, ex-information minister Kadir Sheik Fadzir and not forgetting Dr Mahathir Mohamad ( below ), the most dashing of them all - in my books at least.
And talking of the influence of Bollywood movies in Malaysia, it may be interesting for Bollywood fans in the country to note that the Bollywood glamour brigade will be out in full force at the Global Indian Film Awards to be held in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 7-9 this year.
Back to the issue in question, the axe I have to grind with the home minister is that it is very unfair, inhuman even, to penalise people for their good looks.
Eventually, relationships between Malaysian women and male foreign workers are likely to develop, even with those men without Bollywood looks.
I feel it is important for the ministry not to forget that we are recruiting not just workers but human beings who have social needs too. So can we be a bit more sensible when dealing with the issue.
By all means, take action against those colleges which are clearly flouting the laws with recruiting foreigners as students when they are not here to study.
It's just not right!
I agree with Radzi that permits of private colleges found to be abusing foreign student visas should be revoked. The allegation against them by the immigration authorities must be dealt with separately.
But to merely categorise Bangladeshis to Bollywood heartthrobs and banning them from working in the country because Malaysian women were being allured by their good looks is simply just not right, whichever way you look at it.
Surely, it is not a crime for a foreigner to fall in love with a Malaysian woman!
The minister will do justice to himself and the government by revealing figures and facts as to the extent of the social problems created by our handsome guests, invited or not. Indeed, it would look silly on his part and our government would be seen as uncaring and intolerant if that is not forthcoming.
If I were a simple kampung girl, I believe I wouldn't mind marrying a hard working, family-oriented foreign worker, whether a dashing Bangladeshi or not, rather than a Malaysian guy who is hooked on drugs, enjoy getting high as a Mat Rempit and never thinking of the family back home.
Did we ever bother to look into our own backyard to see the many cases of rape and incest committed against our own women by our own kind?
The point is: As long as we need foreign workers in our country, we have to find the right formula in dealing with them and banning them just because they are good looking and attract our women shouldn't be a consideration at all.
FRANCIS PAUL feels that Dr Mahathir, with his good looks, would have beaten P Ramlee and Amitabh Bachchan to the box office anytime had he gone into acting.
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