When foreign workers become a reckoned force

Sin Chew Daily Asia News Network Selangor, Malaysia

Take a look at the domestic section of our newspapers, and it is not difficult to note that some 20 percent to 30 percent of news involve foreigners. The abuse and murder of foreign maids, maids abusing the children of their employers, riots by illegal foreign workers, robberies perpetrated by foreigners, overstaying foreign prostitutes, and the list goes on.

Thanks to the advancement in information technology, we have been able to read so many news stories on foreigners in Malaysia. Otherwise, a lot of Malaysians may still be unaware that the country is actually so "internationalized".

The number of foreign passport holders (or indeed infiltrators without valid travel documents) has reached a level that even our Immigration Department finds it hard to control and monitor.

The multitude of foreign workers here have given rise to a whole lot of social and family problems, aggravating the insecurity of a society that already runs almost out of control.

In view of the globalization trend, any sensible and farsighted government (especially a developing country like ours) has no choice but to open its doors wide to welcome the various opportunities and challenges brought about by this globalization trend.

Following the rapid growth and expansion of cross-border commerce and tourism, the number of foreigners entering the country is bound to increase by leaps and bounds. Nevertheless, while this should have been a perfectly predictable phenomenon, owing to a lack of preparedness on the part of our government, the whole situation has been messed up by a string of problems created by foreign workers and illegal migrants. To this end, the government shows that it has been acting rather imprudently and cluelessly.

While the number of foreign workers in Malaysia is large, they constitute but just a small percentage of the country's population of about 25 million. But this "minority" group has without doubt seeped into the very core of our life.

They stay under the same roof with their employers' families; they walk in groups in our midst; they are also consumers, hanging out at mamak stalls and creating havoc when someone loudly proclaims her love for her sweetheart. When they are out of cash, they will creep over the high walls of local residences -- they know that when they group themselves together, they can be a "reckoned force".

Vis-a-vis this force put together naturally by the weaker section of the society, the reaction of most Malaysians is one of lassitude and indifference.

In the face of the worsening situation, perhaps the government and people bear the same kind of attitude: Just order these people out if things really go out of hand.

However, we all know very well that our society depends too much on foreign workers. Even as Malaysians are no longer willing to let their children work as construction workers, domestic helps, coffee shop waiters or cleaners, our construction activities still have to go on.

Due to the interdependence between Malaysians and their foreign employees, we must try to establish a set of win-win system. While we are expecting some qualities from the foreign workers, we must also alert ourselves, enhance our own qualities as employers and treat our foreign workers a little more humanely.

Meanwhile, the government has a vital role to play. The authorities must effectively control the situation and prevent the occurrence of any untoward incident.

It will be too late after things have gone out of hand.