LETTER | Eradicate exploitation of migrant workers in Malaysia, now or never

LETTER | Three decades on and we still hear of incidents of exploitation of foreign workers here. Many of these reports are heart-rending and even disgusting to know that it is still happening.

What will it take our government and leaders to protect our country's reputation?

The latest, widely publicised case of an Indian citizen who was allegedly lured to our shores and made to work under purportedly extreme conditions in an Indian restaurant in Petaling Jaya, Selangor has disgraced us again.

Why do we still keep hearing and living with such horrible cases of labour abuse?

These past three decades, we have lost count of the shocking media exposes of cruelty, exploitation, and cheating of maids, plantation and construction workers, as well as all cheap migrant workers filling up other sectors as they contribute to the development of this country and the enrichment of Malaysians.

Do our authorities not have the will to protect the good name of our nation? Is it so gargantuan a task to police and checkmate? Do our business leaders not have the capability to ensure that their organisations are clean and free of these acts of crimes against humans?

Looks like we are morally and spiritually broke as a nation of people.

These reports reveal that we are so greedy, uncaring, and inhuman, so much so that after three decades of cheap labour to help enrich us, we still continue to oppress, victimise and exploit foreign workers here.

NGOs like Tenaganita have made voluminous and painstaking reports and exposes as they fight for the rights, safety, and wellbeing of so many cases of inhuman treatment levelled upon these helpless and often not-so-educated tens of thousands of affected migrant workers.

What would it take to cleanse our nation of such ugly practices that are even in this day being committed with impunity against migrant workers?

What use is it to proclaim to the world that we are a fast-developing third world eager to be crowned with "first world" status when we fail so hopelessly and miserably in protecting, respecting, and honoring our millions of migrant workers who sacrifice so much to help us realise our national aspirations?

Do we not realise that if one day (God forbid) the fortunes turned against us one day, our own children would be ending up as migrant workers elsewhere? Would we want our future generations to be treated like how we mistreat our millions of migrant workers?

Stop taking cover again by claiming that this one incident of how an Indian national was allegeldy abused, threatened, mistreated, and cheated does not reflect the whole nation.

The truth is we have had far too many such reports.

It is time to hold our leaders accountable. It is also time to expose organisations found to be guilty of this heinous crime against fellow humans. No errant, guilty employer should be punished lightly or given sanctuary because of connections.

Otherwise, we might as well admit that all the religions we have and the increasing emphasis on religiosity is all just a crying shame.

For as long as Malaysians - employers, authorities, and political leaders - cannot put a permanent stop to such instances of greed-driven human exploitation, we must accept that our nation cannot truly progress. And our global reputation will be soiled beyond salvation.