In light of the current debate on illegal immigrants, we should examine a few historical facts of our origins in this country. Regardless of whether we agree on the origins of the Malays in Malaysia, there is no arguing the fact that immigration is an important part of Malay history.

Among the early empires of the Malay peninsula were Srivijaya from Sumatra, Majapahit from Java, Siam from Thailand, Acheh from Sumatra, Bugis from Indonesia's Celeb Islands, and Minangkabau from Sumatra. Many today can still trace their roots to Bugis or Minangkabau lineages.

Later, with the establishment of major trading posts in a number of cities, Chinese, Indians, Arabs and Europeans immigrated and integrated with the local population. Recent history continues to show the migration and integration of various people into Malay society.

Syed Husin Ali's Malay Peasant Society and Leadership , published in 1975, contains accounts of Javanese and Sumatran kampungs existing together with Malay kampungs. The early 20th century history of Kuala Lumpur tells us of Sumatran migrants coming to work in tin mines.

These immigrant communities eventually integrated into Malay society. The modern Malay race is thus a mixture of native Malay blood with Arab, Thai, South Indian, Javanese, Sumatran and Chinese blood.

The origins of the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia are known to all. Most were immigrants who came to work in the tin mines and estates. What is not well-known is the similar history of illegal immigration and deportation faced by Chinese and Indians in the mid-20th century.

A vast number of Chinese immigrated to Malaysia illegally during and after WWII, settling in squatter areas. A passage in Chinese New Villages in Malaya , published by the Malaysian Sociological Research Institute in 1973, contains a chillingly similar account of today's immigration situation 'A total of 19 operations took place between 1949 and 1952. Of these, 26,000 (24,000 Chinese, 2,000 Indians and Indonesians) people were deported.

'To accommodate these uprooted people prior to deportation, prisons were emptied, and former immigration depots were hastily converted. These centres were filled to the capacity; detention or concentration camps were constructed in Malacca, Johor and Perak.

'The government soon realised, however, that detention and deportation were not the answer to carry this policy to its logical conclusion would have meant the removal of almost the entire (Chinese) squatter population, estimated at 300,000 persons in 1948.'

Many Malays are, in fact, descendants of people who are now known as Indonesians. Many Chinese and Indians are descendants of illegal immigrants who faced similar pressures of deportation and detention.

Why then do we look at our current migrant workers with such disdain and contempt? Are we really that different from them?