COMMENT After one of my previous articles, more people started to tell me their own dilemma which, in my opinion, deserves to be helped.

Like the Buddhist monk from Thailand, for example, whom my friend’s temple committee wanted to hire to serve in their temple, they finally decided it was not right to bring the monk in on a student visa on the pretext of learning English.

I was told that these days, young people do not want to become monks. That is why, in order to meet a need, they had to go around hunting for a monk from countries like Thailand or Myanmar, yet they were unable to apply for a proper work visa for the monk.

They could have taken up the offer and a student visa would have been abused. Or, they could pay a bribe to settle everything, but they chose not to because they have at least some principles in life.

A similar story was shared by another friend who knew some Indonesians working in Malaysia. These Indonesians are Christians by faith, and someone estimated that there could be several thousand of them in the country. They are working in different organisations and companies.

In my opinion, the best people to meet their spiritual needs, and understand their cultures, are pastors from their own hometown (somewhat like a chaplain following the entire army to the war zone), but to sponsor a pastor from Indonesia to work amongst the Indonesians is not as straightforward.

My friend said that his church is willing to sponsor a pastor from Indonesia, but the excuses given by the Immigration Department are always in the negative.

This is why I shake my head whenever I think of this - what we see in Kepong and elsewhere these days is that we have many Africans and China girls.

Just surveying the area, there are more foot reflexology centres mushrooming in the past 15 years compared to the colleges, but both the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the police are seemingly closing an eye on this.

Monks are denied entry, but no problem with China girls being allowed into the country. Why? Thereafter, a few police constables would allegedly be seen harassing some of these foreigners by the roadsides. This is all too common a scene that needs not be further elaborated.

No work visa?

At the same time, I understand private universities are also having a hard time to bring in qualified staff to work in Malaysia. Previously, and I am not sure if it still applies now, in order for you to hire an academic staffer from overseas, you had to show proof that you have advertised for the position and were unable to find a local who qualified to fill the position.

I hope this is no longer the case with private higher education institutions, but another friend of mine shared his experience with regards to enquiring about a work visa.

The seminary that he attended wanted to invite a brilliant university professor of Old Testament from United Kingdom, who happened to be on sabbatical leave.

The professor had offered to teach in Malaysia for one year, and funds could be easily raised to cover his stay in Malaysia, with accommodation even sponsored by another friend of his, but the biggest hurdle was again the same - to apply for the work visa.

All sorts of excuses are given over the counter that the work visa would not be approved. It is strange that we should deny intellectuals from entering the country, but we have no problem with those who come in illegally and are involved in illicit activities.

In the entertainment industry back in the 90s, it was very much easier to apply for visa to bring in big names such as Kenny G into the country to perform in concerts. These days, because of the rumbling noise made by some local politicians, the authorities are finding it hard to differentiate between black and white.

I had suggested to a major corporate figure two years ago to invite Kenny G to perform in Malaysia once again, and even he told me that things can get tricky when it comes to getting the visa for the world class artist approved.

I was told by another friend that it would be much easier to host a Kenny G concert in Singapore than in Malaysia. Is this how backward we have become and if I want to watch Kenny G ‘live’, I would have to travel across the causeway?

In fact, it is the same politicians who turn black into white, and white into black. Controversial preachers are brought into the country and given land, and one was subsequently exposed to be a liar, but those who provide wholesome entertainment to the majority population of this country cannot obtain a visa. What a shame.

Cannot enter Sarawak?

So, if you ask me about the entry into Sarawak, it is not surprising that a number of opposition lawmakers found themselves stranded at the Kuching airport and had to take the next flight back to the peninsula during the last state elections.

Although Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem is a gentleman, he did not appear to do what he preached.

During the Chinese New Year celebration last year, he openly condemned Umno for its brand of politics, but there was hardly any difference when he himself barred the opposition and other civil society leaders, including his critics, from entering into Sarawak during a state election.

We are now waiting to see if he is willing to keep to his promises or he is leading his party on the same path as Umno in the peninsula.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.