KUALA LUMPUR – Having foreigners in neighbourhoods populated by locals could turn Malaysia into a sin city, claimed Perikatan Nasional (PN) lawmaker Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Arau-PN).
During his committee-level debate on the revised Budget 2023 for the Human Resources Ministry, Shahidan suggested that employers of migrant workers place their centralised labour quarters (CLQ) in areas separate from where locals reside.
He opined that this should be so as otherwise, the country could become a hotbed of immorality.
“We do not want to end up like a certain state (sic) to the point that it became a sin city,” he said.
“When they (migrant workers) are placed with many people of different races, undesirable things will happen,” he said.
“So, we ask the police to be cautious so that they abide by local rules, wherever they are.
“(If) they feel free and liberated, and they do bad things until the place becomes a sin city,” he reiterated.
Shahidan said he understood employers’ inability to construct separate CLQs in a short time, and suggested that they could provide rental quarters far from locals instead.
The former Umno man also urged the government to check migrant workers’ skills when they enter the country. He claimed the workers often ask for more pay than what they can offer.
“We do not know the capabilities of foreign workers, but they want our minimum wage rate,” he said.
“We see domestic helpers not knowing how to cook rice, and construction workers not knowing how to bend metal. We should see their skills (beforehand),” he said.
Shahidan pointed a finger at agencies that import migrant workers, alleging that they earn a profit from bringing in anyone without verifying their skills.
He advised making follow-ups mandatory, citing reports of migrant workers overstaying in the country.
Shahidan also panned the prevalence of foreigners in Malaysia, claiming that he only sees Bangladeshis at airports.
“When I was in the cabinet, it was hard (for foreigners) to come. In the months, we (then-government) made preparations, barely 2,000 people came,” he said.
“Now, I only see Bangladeshis at airports. Home Ministry, what’s your secret?” he quipped. – The Vibes, March 22, 2023
