LIFE is far from a bed of roses for the Chinese nationals who came to Malaysia to work with the influx of Chinese investments during the Najib Razak administration less than a decade ago.

While some Malaysians accused these Chinese of stealing their rice bowls, the reality is they chose to work abroad in search of higher wages.

Having left their families back in China, they are now homesick and still reeling from the culture shock of being in a new environment.

Chen Yi, who works for China MCC 19 Group in the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, has not seen his wife and two children for almost a year.

The 34-year-old relies on WeChat to keep in touch with his family in Sichuan.

“The internet in the dormitory isn’t very good, sometimes we get disconnected within a few minutes. I just get to hear my children call me ‘daddy’.

“You asked me how I feel after working for almost a year here? I miss home, very much,” said Chen.

His wife still has to work even though he considered himself well paid here. His parents take care of the children.

He said life in Malaysia is better than when he was working in North Korea and Thailand. The air-conditioned dormitory is quite comfortable.

Equipped with a small garden, mini-supermarket, cafe, food court and hair salon, the dormitory appears comfortable during a recent visit by The Malaysian Insight to the industrial park.

A place where there is interaction between the Chinese and locals is the evening market along the main road outside the park.

Here the foreign workers and locals haggle over fresh produce, groceries, imported food from China and other sundry items.

A bulldozer driver, who identified himself as Choo, said he lost his job after the East Coast Rail Link was suspended earlier this month, and now spends his time helping his wife run her grocery stall. 

The 54-year-old construction worker said the stall was meant to provide supplementary income for his family but is now their main source of livelihood.

Fong Zhen Pang stopped selling handbags and wallets at the Kuantan night market a year ago to sell imported dried food, tidbits and alcohol from China to the foreign workers outside the industrial park.

“I have been here for a year, business is not bad, better than when I was selling handbags. My revenue has increased,” said Fong.

He said the Chinese are friendly to the locals.

A 26-year-old Chinese worker, who only wanted to be known as Xiaozhao, joked that it is boring to work in the industrial park as they are forbidden to venture out.

“Maybe the company is worried there would be trouble due to language and cultural differences.

“I have made some money here but have no opportunity to help stimulate the local economy,” he said.

When asked about his future plans, Xiaozhao said immediately: “Home!” 

His colleagues seated around him having a steamboat meal all nodded in agreement. – July 17, 2018.