By Fatimah Fawziyah
When our Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, declared that Malaysia will accept the 1.5 million immigrants from Bangladesh, many Malaysian citizens reportedly disagree with this decision. This is because, from the previous experience, immigrant workers have taken job opportunities from the locals in Malaysia.
Not even that, citizens also claimed that the immigrants bring many negative consequences and inflict the feeling of insecurity among them such as incidents of rape, kidnapping, theft, etc. Not only that, some immigrant workers bring viruses and diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid, and others, and when they come here the virus spread widely to Malaysian citizens.
“Most of immigrant workers sent home their income to their home country, this will give impact to our currency exchange especially during this critical time. If we keep bringing immigrant workers obviously it will give a big impact to our currency exchange rates although these relative values are influenced by the demand for currency which in turn influenced by trade,” said Siti Adilah Abdul Wahab, 22, a student of Kulliyyah of Economic and Management Sciences.
Moreover, immigrant workers come here and bring their culture which is definitely different from Malaysian culture. The existence of immigrant workers itself is actually creating uncomfortable feeling in the hearts and minds of Malaysians and this could increase racism feeling in Malaysia. To add salt to the wounds, there are citizens who claimed that Malaysian people are pampered and refused to work under the three “D”: dirty, dangerous, and difficult jobs. This perception is actually wrong.
A reliable source said that a Malaysian is not choosy nor picky in finding job. But, unfortunately when the person applied for a job at a company in Batu Pahat, Johor, even applying to be a cleaner, has been rejected although they put up a banner looking for workers. A guard in that company, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the company refused to have Malaysian workers and choose to hire immigrant workers as a priority as they are easily to manage and to get profit.
In addition, when the owner of the factory was asked by the authority to explain their reply was simply that Malaysians do not want to work under the three “D” jobs. But the truth is that most of the factories do not even give a chance to Malaysian citizens to get the opportunity. There is no use for the government to create job opportunities when most of the jobs are given to the immigrant workers.
However, the coming of immigrant workers is actually a blessing in disguise to the Malaysian government if we look at the positive side. Last Wednesday, I carried out an interview with one of the locals in Batu Bahat, Johor, Mohd Nazir Mohd Nor, who is also an officer of the Meteorological Department.
During the conversation with him he gave his opinion and said, “The government should impose a levy to the owner of the company and/ or to the immigrants who want to work in Malaysia as compensations to the Malaysian citizens who lose their job opportunities. By doing so, the government can get an income from the immigrant workers.”
Now that this has happened, what must Malaysian citizens do to solve the problem? The answer is that Malaysian people need to change their mindset instead of becoming wage earners to a business mindset. The presence of immigrants has actually helped to trigger critical thinking among Malaysian natives. Nowadays, many Malaysians have started to do business regardless of their status, may that be professionals, teachers, students, housewives, etc.
As Muslims we know that Allah is the most bounteous, He will not lessen what has been written to be yours. Then, why are we worried about job opportunities when Allah knows what is best for us? If we cannot get jobs under the government that means Allah wants to give us something better. We can do any other jobs such as offering services, doing business, etc. Their coming here actually helps Malaysians to think of ways to survive.
It does not mean that the government should allow any immigrant worker to work here but there must be a strict policy that they have to be filtered before entering Malaysia.
“Immigrant workers who want to work here should be filtered before given permission to enter Malaysia. They also have to know Malaysian culture, customs and laws in Malaysia so that understand the ‘do’s and the don’ts’ in Malaysia,” said Mohd. Nazir.
On the other hand, the presence of immigrants can also be seen as a blessing especially having them here at a time Malaysia needs the workforce to develop the country. But there must be a proper sort of collaboration programme between government to government (of countries concerned) to ease and smoothen the arrangement.
After all, as a God’s servants we must have positive thinking no matter what the provision of Allah is. The verse in Surah Al-Sharh in Al-Quran says, “So verily, with the hardship, there is relief (5) Verily, with the hardship, there is relief (6). To add, this is the God’s world, and God’s servants have the right to go anywhere in His world as long as we take care of our manners and follow the rules of Allah and domestic laws of the place.
As the Malay proverb says, “Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung.” ***