RECENTLY, Al Jazeera aired a 26-minute documentary entitled Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown about Malaysia’s so-called ill treatment against illegal and undocumented migrant workers during the movement-control order (MCO) that took place beginning March 18.
The documentary depicts as if illegal migrant workers in Malaysia are treated inhumanely by the authorities.
The journalists conducted what deemed as one-sided coverage focusing primarily on the plight of the illegal migrant workers without taking into account the efforts taken by the government to protect its people from the Covid-19 outbreak.
Ever since independence in 1957, Malaysia has become one of the most prosperous nations in Asia. According to MoneyInc, Malaysia is listed as the 14th richest nation in Asia in 2019 (GDP per capita) outdoing Russia, Turkey, India and China.
As a result, Malaysia is seen as a gold mine by many and a huge number migrant workers flock in to find greener pastures here.
The Immigration Department reports that there are about 1.73 million foreigners working legally in Malaysia mostly from Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan and China.
The exact number of illegals are unknown but they are here in Malaysia for sure.
Malaysia does not condone racism
The influx of foreign workers into Malaysia is a manifestation that Malaysians in general are not xenophobic.
Ever since the time of the old kingdoms of Srivijaya, Malacca and Johor, the Malays have been accepting of immigrants, particularly foreign merchants from Arabia, China, Persia and India.
Unlike China, Korea or Japan that once existed in isolation, kingdoms of the Malay Archipelago have always exercised freedom of navigation and trade between thier regional and far-flung neighbours.
Till today, Malaysia remains a welcoming nation. If Malaysians really are hostile against foreigners, why would all these migrant workers leave their comfort zones to build a better future in this country in the first place?
Treating illegals accordingly
Al Jazeera’s video provides all the wrong impressions to the world as if Malaysia condones to the act of barbarity against illegal migrant workers by putting them behind bars in a number of immigration depots situated all over the country.
It is also reported in the documentary that many contracted Covid-19 as the depots are crowded and confined.
First of all, Malaysia is a sovereign nation and the authorities are responsible to safeguard the sanctity of its territories against any foreign encroachment.
Any individual entering Malaysia without proper documentation is deemed to have violated the law and shall be subjected to arrest and deportation by the authorities.
Malaysian law must be respected by all – citizens and foreigners alike. Malaysia did what it should to protect its citizens from the Covid-19 outbreak.
Should the apprehended illegal migrant workers test positive for Covid-19, the medical bills are borne by taxpayers.
A question to ponder – would these journalists who re-invent the truth about Malaysia’s lockdown take out their own pocket money to pay medical and food expenses for the illegal migrant workers while they are undergoing Covid-19 treatment in this country?
Battle against Covid-19
The documentary accuses Malaysia for creating new clusters of Covid-19 among detainees. While it was somewhat true at the beginning and daily positive cases surged up to 277 on June 4, this situation did not remain so for long.
The effective response by the government front-liners under the leadership of both Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah succeeded in flattening the curve and overcoming the outbreak in these detention centres.
Malaysia has conducted considerable number of Covid-19 tests. With more than 25,000 tests per million population, Malaysia is not too far away from South Korea that has conducted 27,000 tests per million population as of July 10.
Today, Malaysia recorded a single digit daily Covid-19 positive cases with recovery rate reaching up to 98% – far higher than any rich and developed nation, including the birth nation of Al-Jazeera, Qatar, with cumulative cases surpassing beyond 100,000.
Conclusion
Ever since the enforcement of MCO on March 18, Malaysians have been working tirelessly in protecting the nation from the wrath of Covid-19.
It is not known why an international media of credible standards, such as Al Jazeera, would publish a misleading documentary badmouthing Malaysia.
Senior minister (security cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob lambasted the report for its spite reporting.
On July 6, the government through its National Security Council official Telegram account urged Al Jazeera to apologise to all Malaysians for the biased and inaccurate report.
Malaysia is exercising her rights and duties as a sovereign nation. Illegal migrant workers have no place here in this country.
Malaysia respects freedom of speech and this is envisaged in the federal constitution. Nevertheless, this right however, should not be exercised to spread inaccurate news about what was going on in Malaysia.
Malaysia has always been transparent in its handling of Covid-19 as press conferences were made on a daily basis by Ismail Sabri and Noor Hisham particularly during the first few months of the MCO.
Al-Jazeera should not reinvent the truth about Malaysia’s lockdown. – July 10, 2020.
* Lt-Cmdr (hon) Associate Professor Dr Mohd Hazmi Mohd Rusli is a lecturer at Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.
* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.
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Comments
Posted 3 years ago by Robert Joshua · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Adrian C · Reply
Deemed inaccurate he says, but doesn't list any of the inaccuracies.
What are some facts real facts we know not in any special order.
1. Singapore has 330ooo odd migrant workers all documents, QR, track/trace, clean well socially distanced accommodation, wifi all, etc good food, salaries 4-5 times higher than Malaysian migrants and all paid on time legally etc etc, and all of the these workers are tested so far 200ooo odd and by early August all all all done, some 20% have been found to be positive, but thus far none intensive care, we assume because mostly young and healthy.
2. Testing in Singapore is 50ooo per million twice of Malaysia so 25ooo per million nothing to brag about.
3. He mentions almost 2 mill documented migrant workers, but forgets to mention the other 2-3 million illegal workers mostly let in by corrupt syndicates like the one Zahid charged for etc....
4. Of the 2 million document or 4-5 million undocumented if we use Singapore average than 500ooo to 1million are positive, yes, figure that....but how many tested so far........gen pop u said 25ooo tests per million .........how many migrant workers so far ??????? hardly any...............
5. GOLD mine for migrant workers is a lie isn't it, to live in squalor disgusting living conditions very low salaries and wages and many not paid on time or at all and many many many had their passports impounded, further how are the ones rounded up treated..........kids and woman chained together and shoved into trucks no social distancing then put into camps with no facilities dirty unhygenic, terrible food etc etc......but chaining kids women no distancing my goodness.
Please tell us about the inaccuracies of the AJ docu...........I mean it also seems a little bias......a bit like the writers articles, but what are the inaccuracies ?
Posted 3 years ago by Adrian C · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Adrian C · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by No Gostan · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Watch Dog · Reply
Posted 3 years ago by Bryan Wong · Reply