Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown. Video laporan Al-Jazeera mengenai nasib migran

I.am.PH

Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown
03 Jul 2020 10:52 GMT

[youtube]zyl_xsdpteI[/youtube]
We investigate why the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing migrant workers - the backbone of Malaysia's economy - into hiding

Hidden away in the COVID-19 pandemic are Malaysia's migrant workers.

For years, they have done the country's most dangerous, dirtiest jobs.

Now, undocumented foreign workers are scared for their future.

Out of work and forced to live in cramped conditions, some are starving and dependent on charities to survive.

The government has successfully contained the initial spread of the virus.

It has also put some of the poorest areas of Kuala Lumpur behind barbed wire - testing and fingerprinting migrants, and arresting anyone without valid documents.

101 East investigates why Malaysia's migrant workers are at risk in the time of COVID-19.

I.am.PH

List of incidents of xenophobia and racism related to the COVID-19 pandemic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Malaysia

A petition in Malaysia calling for citizens from China to be banned from entering the country claimed that the "new virus is widely spread throughout the world because of their unhygienic lifestyle". The petition was reportedly signed by a little over 250,000 people within a week.

Islamophobia also occurs since March when social media users insult groups of Tabligh people as the cluster related to Sri Petaling Tabligh gathering cause it to experiencing sudden jump in number of cases in Malaysia.

According to Human Rights Watch and the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network, over 700 foreign migrant workers and refugees including stateless Rohingya refugees have been detained by Malaysian police during the coronavirus pandemic. Police have claimed that the arrests were intended to prevent undocumented migrants from traveling to other areas as part of lockdown movement restrictions. In response to the arrests, the United Nations in Malaysia's Head of Communications and Advocacy, Ahmad Hafiz Osman, to avoid detaining refugees and not to hinder them from seeking medical treatment. The Home Affairs Minister Hamzah Zainuddin had earlier described the Rohingya as "illegal immigrants" who have "have no status, right and basis to present any demands to the government."

In addition, there have been incidents of xenophobia against Rohingya refugees in Malaysia including Malaysian politicians have made social media posts accusing the Rohingya of committing crimes and dominating parts of the capital Kuala Lumpur, the names and photos of activists being circulated on social media, and several online petitions calling for the deportation of Rohingya on Change.org. This surge in hostility has been fueled by negative perceptions about Rohingya refugees and inflammatory news stories on social media. According to The Star newspaper, there were also reports of Rohingya individuals making racially-tinged and provocative comments in social media videos targeting the Malay ethnicity community, which have strained relations between the two ethnic communities. Rohingya community spokespersons have said that the community is living in state of fear while the NGOs Mercy Malaysia and the Malaysian Relief Agency urged the public to show empathy and mercy towards the refugees during Ramadan. On 11 May, 83 human rights and civil society organisations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Article 19, and the International Committee of Jurists called on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to address online hate speech and violent threats against Rohingya refugees.

On 21 June, Malaysian human rights NGO Aliran raised concerns about the living and working conditions of foreign migrant workers, many of whom had become infected with COVID-19. Aliran also criticised "inflammatory" media coverage for fueling xenophobia and hostility against migrant workers.

On 25 June, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall restricted refugees' access to the city's wholesale market, only allowing them entry if they possessed valid permits and were accompanied by Malaysians. The City Hall does not recognise identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This ruling was criticised by Yemen Refugee Union representative Dr Mohammed Al Radhi and Alliance of Chin Refugees coordinator James Bawi Thang Bik as discriminatory and inhumane towards refugee communities.

On 27 June, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin stated that Malaysia could not accommodate more Rohingya refugees due to a struggling economy and dwindling resources. Malaysia does not recognise their refugee status and has turned away incoming boats and detained hundreds of refugees. The Prime Minister also called upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to speed up the resettlement of Rohingya refugees in third party countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_incidents_of_xenophobia_and_racism_related_to_the_COVID-19_pandemic#Malaysia

Semoga bermanafaat

I.am.PH

End discrimination against foreigners and migrants in Covid-19 responses
Published 30 Jun 2020



Respect for Human Rights includes ending racism and xenophobia

We, the 39 undersigned groups and organizations urge Malaysia to end discrimination and ethnophobia against migrant workers and foreigners including in responses to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the beginning of May, it was reported that all migrant/foreign workers will be required to be screened for Covid-19, before they be allowed to return to work in all sectors.

Recently, there was a report that foreigners will not be allowed to use mosque/suraus.(Malay Mail, 11/6/2020)

These are practices against Human Rights, and also that the Federal Constitution. Article 8 of the Federal Constitution, which states, ‘(1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.’ is clear that this guarantee of equality applies to all persons, citizens or otherwise in Malaysia.

Employment Act 1955 is also against discrimination amongst workers based on nationality, whereby section 60L(1) also states ‘(1) The Director General may inquire into any complaint from a local employee that he is being discriminated against in relation to a foreign employee, or from a foreign employee that he is being discriminated against in relation to a local employee, by his employer in respect of the terms and conditions of his employment…’. This provision clearly captures our principle against discrimination based on nationalities of workers, and as such the Malaysian government’s current requirement that ONLY migrant workers, and not local workers have to be screened and tested before being allowed to return to work is discriminatory.

There is no rational or reasonableness for such requirements that discriminate a certain class of workers, as Covid-19 does not discriminate.

It is also goes against the often mentioned Malaysian policy for testing and screening in response to the Covid-19, which has been reiterated many times by the Director General of Health in his daily televised reports.

On 10th June, Malaysia reportedly had a daily testing capacity of 34,951 samples (NST, 10/6/2020), and there are over 2 million just documented migrant workers in Malaysia, and for just all the 2 million plus to be tested, it will take about two months plus. The reality is that so many others, not just foreigners, that have to be screened everyday.

The Malaysian approach, as far as screening and testing was concerned was before a rationale ‘targeted approach’. Persons who could have come in contact with the infected, and those showing positive symptoms and other high risk groups like returnees from infected countries were the focus.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah also did say that ‘…if you test everyone and then you isolate them, that’s fine…’, but the fact of the matter, is that migrants and everyone tested, is thereafter never isolated from the rest of the un-tested community and there is always a risk of contact with persons who may not be Covid-19 free, which in the case of workers, will also include the other untested local workers who work with them,‘…So that’s the next question, how often do you want to test them?...’(Malay Mail, 14/5/2020)

Malaysia’s xenophobic response to foreigners in Malaysia, also may negatively impact Malaysia’s moral standing to condemn similar discriminatory practices against Malaysians now in foreign countries – hence the ability to keep Malaysians overseas safe from Covid-19 is affected.

Malaysia needs to act in accordance to values, principles and human rights, especially in its response to Covid-19 and its consequences.

Whilst today, the Federal Constitution guarantees equality, Article 8(2), that imposes only on government and public authorities specified anti-discrimination obligations seem to not impose the same obligations on the private sector and other employers. In short, others including private sector employers, may still discriminate workers and/or people simply ‘…on the ground only of religion, race, descent, place of birth or gender…’.

Calls for laws to impose these anti-discrimination obligations on all, including private sector employers have gone unheeded for far too long.

Therefore, we call on

• Malaysia to end all xenophobic and/or discriminatory policies and practices against migrant workers and foreigners in its responses to Covid-19 pandemic;
  

• Malaysia to amend laws and/or the Federal Constitution to extend the obligation to specifically not discriminate ‘…on the ground only of religion, race, descent, place of birth or gender…’ to all, including private sector employers;
  

• Malaysia to provide needed basic assistance to cope with the loss of income or employment to all persons affected by the Covid-19, including migrant workers, foreigners and the self-employed.
  

Charles Hector
Adrian Pereira

For and on behalf the 39 listed below

ALIRAN
WH4C (Workers Hub For Change)
North South Initiative (NSI)
Tenaganita
SUARAM
Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC)
People's Service Organization (PSO), Malaysia
Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)
MADPET (Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture)
NAMM (Network of Action for Migrants in Malaysia)
National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM)
Parti Sosialis Malaysia(PSM)
Penang Stop Human Trafficking Campaign
Gagasan Insan Progresif
Timber Industry Employees Union of Sarawak
Sabah Timber Industry Employees Union(STIEU)
Labour Behind the Label
International Black Women for Wages for Housework
International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF)
Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) Asia Pacific Region
Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) South East Asian Coalition
Odhikar, Bangladesh
Migrant Care, Indonesia
Persatuan Pekerja Rumah Tangga Indonesia (PERTIMIG) di Malaysia
All Arakan Students' and Youths'; Congress (AASYC), Burma/Myanmar
Rights Defenders and Promoters-HRDP in Myanmar
Radanar Ayar Association from Myanmar
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha(MASUM), India
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity(PACTI), India
AMMPO-SENTRO- Association of Filipino Nationalist Workers in Malaysia
Workers Assistance Center, Inc, Philippines
China Labour Bulletin
Women of Color - Global Women’s Strike, United Kingdom
Payday Men’s Network UK
Collectif Ehique sur l’étiquette (France)
Campagna Abiti Puliti – Italy
Women Against Rape
Payday Men’s Network US
Datuk Dr Ronald McCoy

I.am.PH

Semoga dengan thread ini warga forum dapat memahami dan berempati dengan nasib pekerja migran yang berada di Malaysia.

annehuda

Dah nama pun UNDOCUMENTED. Sah2 la ko masuk malaysia cara tak sah, lagi nak ditatang mcm anak raja ke?

honeybee1802

Bersyukur la..kena tangkap pun bg makang jgk...sakit hantar spital...kalo kt negara sendiri kot klinik pun tak dpt nak gi..dibior mati jek tepi jln...

mbhcsf

tak berjaya dengan scandal, cuba halalkan polisi dengan article dr ong kian min? then cub ejarah, then, pemidato and this one? hak asasi manusia balik?

so ternyatalah TT ni menunjukkan bauran idea yg membuktikan DAP mmg dikaitkan dengan isu isu  tarnish malaysia dalam isu isu yg half truth macam ni

tak hairanlah kalau jata , kalau idea bawaan buku yang disiasat tu dikatkan dengan perjuangan parti anda.

mmg anda confident.

Skuau

Bila  pendatang haram nak buat sukati dia...betul...Bila tangkap pendatang haram yg sukati dia nak buat apa kat Msia ni ....salah pulak........wth,wtf la.....

Xim

Elehhh sayang pati sbb nk sogok ic kan?leh jd pengundi bile pru nnt....

haruslah

Try pegi us scara haram...europe ke....
Mesti diorg sambut dgn bunga...blanje rumah sorg sebiji....kerja ekon....

Nenasketum

I am beginning to think that Mr Ayam ni is the very femalas. Suka upload artikel nak ajak orang bertekak. Good luck to you Mr Ayam, I am guessing that you are either a supporter of lgbtq, racist bigot or an atheist.

adila39

stupid PH. We dont need foreigners as well u. TT, please move on la

salamon

aku mmg suke pati..

slyfynx

Pastu nk buat ape ngn pendatang ni?
Letak rumah korang ke?

annehuda

Al jazeera off comment video ni sbb takut kene serang lettew. Tapi yg dislike dah 12k lebih banding yg like tak smpi seribu pun. Pantas netizen wat keje

Normabaru

Ayam ni saja la.. Provokasi xhabis2
If u ok with the above.. I nk amik ur house kt regalia.. Make it my own.. Deal?

The reports are biased.. Why they come to Malaysia illegally in the first place??
So so misleading report

umbut

Pastu ko nak layan camna. Dah bagi makan tempat bagai. Nak soh bebas dgn covid skrg ni... macam sial tt ni.. kerja ko memang buat provokasi semua benda x puas hati..

I.am.PH

slyfynx replied at 5-7-2020 03:51 AM
Pastu nk buat ape ngn pendatang ni?
Letak rumah korang ke?

Tidaklah perlu sampai meletak pendatang ini di rumah persendirian.

Cukuplah memilih pemerintah yang:

1. Menghormati hak asasi manusia sejagat (Universal Declaration of Human Right)
2. Menghargai keragaman kaum dan penduduk di Malaysia
3. Tidak memupuk semangat perkauman di Malaysia

Nescaya, keadilan akan menjadi amalan hidup

Skuau

I.am.PH replied at 5-7-2020 12:37 PM
Tidaklah perlu sampai meletak pendatang ini di rumah persendirian.

Cukuplah memilih pemerintah  ...

Hormat hak asasi manusia??? KEDAULATAN UNDANG UNDANG DALAM RUKUN NEGARA tu ko nak pendatang haram ni perlekehkan????

Centurion

Sembang je ni. Dah xde modal. Attention whore