'Xenophobia, racism over plans to recruit Bangladeshis concerning'
Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) is extremely concerned over the rising xenophobic and racist sentiments expressed over the government's plan to being in 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers in the next three years.
LFL executive director Eric Paulsen said while the plan is "questionable", it is unacceptable for people to make sweeping statements against migrant workers by claiming that they will cause social problems.
"Migrant workers are not in Malaysia to commit crimes, bring diseases or harass local women.
"They are here to work, mainly in jobs shunned by locals. They generally come from impoverished backgrounds, having left everything behind and incurring huge debts in order to try to earn a living in Malaysia for their families and themselves.
"Many are lowly paid, work under difficult conditions, prone to exploitation, extortion, cheating and even trafficking," he said in a statement today.
Paulsen added that while there are indeed some migrant workers who are involved in crime, it is not a reason to stereotype an entire group of people.
"Needless to say, such crimes or misbehavior are not uniquely perpetrated by migrants, and locals are equally, if not more culpable," he said.
Elaborating on the plan to bring in new migrant workers, Paulsen said it is more sensible and practical to regularise the refugees and migrants already in the country.
"We reiterate our call for the Home Ministry to consult all stakeholders including the Human Resources Ministry, Malaysian Trade Union Congress and the Malaysian Employers Federation before taking such a drastic step, especially since there is a ready-made labour force.
"There are some estimated 100,000 refugees and two million undocumented migrants who are already working in the country albeit without proper documentation," he explained.
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