COMMENT The controversial nature of bringing in foreign workers to Malaysia is not something new. It dates from the British colonial days.

During the colonial days, hundreds and thousands of workers from India and China came to work in the plantations, urban areas and tin mines.

By the time of World War II, the import of foreign workers was stopped for various reasons, mainly due to unhealthy working conditions.

While the import of labour from India had been done under the auspices of both the governments in Malaya and India, the import of Chinese labour was mainly by private recruiters.