Several prominent figures have spoken out against xenophobia after some Malaysians began chastising Bangladeshis over Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s plan to bring in 1.5 million migrant workers from the South Asian country.

Selangor state assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh said it was very demeaning to keep making fun of Bangladeshi workers.

“Most migrant workers give up their all in search of a better future for their families.

“It’s the exploitation of these workers that we must condemn, not the workers. God made them just like you and I.

“As long as we continue to behave high and mighty, we deserve the state of our nation today - full of pride but shallow,” she said in a Facebook posting today.

Yeoh added that if Malaysians wanted to talk about bad hats, they should first start with Putrajaya.

Meanwhile, Asia’s top debater 2015 Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said there is no wrong in voicing out against the policy to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers.

“But don’t call them names such as ‘rapist’, ‘robbers’ or ‘rubbish’. Such actions are immoral and do not reflect Malaysian values.

“When we are abroad, we dislike being stereotyped, we share videos about Islamophobia in the west - but it is shameful we are doing the same thing back home,” he said in a Facebook posting.

Syed Saddiq said coincidentally his room mate is a Bangladeshi and an Asian Debate Champion.

He pointed out that Bangladeshi social entrepreneur Muhammad Yunus is also a Nobel Peace Prize recipient for pioneering the concepts of micro-credit and micro-finance.

“Before we start judging a person based on their race or nationality, ask yourself, do you like being stereotyped?

“I personally disagree with the influx of foreign workers, but never will I label them as ‘bangsa perompak’ (robber race).

“They are human just like me,” he said.