GIVE refugees RIGHT to work
WE welcome the Minister of Human Resources statement that a positive announcement with regard to employment for refugees can be expected soon.
There are many compelling reasons in favour of providing a legal and administrative framework for refugees in Malaysia.
The economic benefits this will bring to the country are well documented. A recent parliamentary briefing also highlighted the advantages.
It will also help in the fight against terrorism, human trafficking and modern-day slavery. Human traffickers are happiest when they can prey upon people who are most vulnerable and unprotected.
The refugee communities all over the world are obvious recruiting grounds for human traffickers. People fleeing from horrific situations, as from Myanmar, are easy prey.
We all recollect with shame the horrors of the Wang Kelian death camps on the border with Thailand, where thousands of refugees and migrants were held, violated, tortured, ransomed, trafficked and murdered.
Arriving in Malaysia with no protection and no rights continue to encourage human traffickers to prey on these people who are struggling to find a life away from the genocide they are fleeing.
Human trafficking is also closely linked to modern-day slavery. By making them work “illegally” (refugees here have no rights or protection, including at work), we are just exposing them to the strong possibility not just of abduction and being sold by traffickers, but systematic exploitation and abuse by unscrupulous employers and/or agents.
This is again because they have no protection or options, and yet of course have to find “illegal” work in order to survive.
By not providing any protection, we are institutionalising this situation and allowing a whole population in our country to vulnerability to human trafficking and modern-day slavery. It is not ideal because this situation is also a happy one for recruiters for extremist and terrorist organisations.
Where people have little hope and no certainty of future, where they feel abandoned and ignored, where every day they are worried about being extorted or harassed or detained, the lure to join a group that offers an easy identity and purpose in life is clearly tempting.
We need to do everything to ensure people are supported, protected and given opportunity to live a secure and happy life that would give little encouragement to extremist propagators.
Continuing to allow the refugees here to live in limbo, without any legal status, is a situation that can be exploited by human traffickers and the recruiters for terrorism and extremism.
We can immediately make a difference to this.
For example, if the minister’s statement is anything to go by and we honour the Promise 35 in Buku Harapan of the present government to give rights and protection for work for refugees, this would be a win-win for everyone.
It would be a boost for our economy, and it would provide an instant and significant response to the activities of human traffickers, extremist and terrorist groups and modern-day slavers.
We remain hopeful that this will happen.
MIGRANT WORKERS RIGHT TO REDRESS COALITION
Penang
