Malaysians worryingly appear to be increasingly money-centred, arrogant and bigoted, and this is never more evident than in the recent Ops Nasihat and the Amnesty effort for undocumented migrants. This might be a strange comment to make since most reponses in the media seem to lament over our excessive leniency and kindness by the deadline extension. We are worried that undocumented migrants will not take us seriously and return, and that 'the world' may be laughing at us for failing to keep our word. The overall impression is, everyone seems to be impatient for the 'foreigners' to leave, or be hunted down, jailed and deported. Meanwhile, columnists and analysts come up with sophisticated reasons as to why this is a good idea: fear of violence between groups of undocumented migrants, ensuring the sovereignity of our borders and sound economic sense by saving the government about RM115million by granting Amnesty as a solution.

Something is amiss here. These are not responses from a thinking, compassionate society that understands the complexities related to the issue of migration. Instead, this reflects - to our shame - our inability to deal with difference.

To unpack this a little, what are our assumptions when thinking about undocumented migrants? By constantly labelling them as 'foreigners' or 'illegals', we are putting a stamp on them. They do not belong, they cause all sorts of problems and worst of all, we can't track them because they do not have documentation. This creates a sense of fear from our apparent lack of control. More importantly, we imagine ourselves as somehow superior. Such reactions are typically, if harshly, xenophobic. As a nation made up of many different ethnic groups and divergent histories, it is not only ironic, but in dire need of challenging.

Not too long ago, many of us were migrants from different places. We may have come here to flee from violence in our places of origin, to 'cari makan', seek a better life through economic opportunities that are more sound, or were transported as cheap labour by our ex-colonial masters. In fact, we move because the history of humanity is heavy with migration - going from one place to another to build something different and hopefully, better.

Now this process is accelarated through mechanisms of globalisation. Transportation becomes more accessible, resources like cash and information are transferrable expediently, and news can travel with the speed of bytes. However, we are still living with our historical legacies. Development between nations are disparate and some places have better opportunities than others in different ways. Some Malaysians seek their fortunes in India, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and so on, whilst other nationalities may choose to come here. This is not something new, outrageous or frightening; especially if we deal with it without the irrationalities of xenophobia.

Undocumented migrants may surface particular issues about management of resources, differences in culture and so forth. This has to be understood without the assumption that difference is necessarily inferior. Otherwise, we will start to lose our sense of humanity and exploitations will occur. Particularly with the drive of economic gains that is framing contemporary life and fueling the progression of globalisation. We need to check ourselves for contributing to or even creating the problems that we perceive undocumented migrants as being responsible for.

Further, when the national rhetorics seem to be all about being economically competitive in the global arena, then our collective aspirations becomes infused with this understanding. Less advantaged sections of communities see this as an opportunity to participate in gainful employment, and Malaysian employers see this as a way to increase profit margins. We neglect other aspects of life which can enrich our existence - like culture and aesthetics that can enable us to explore social relations. As a result, we become impoverished in wisdom and compassion. We perceive difference as less than human and become actively engaged in abuse, violence and discrimination. Cases of physical abuse against foreign domestic workers are on the rise, we are proponents of corporeal punishment against migrants who break the law (and then act surprised and defensive when the targets of our violence recommends the same in return), we do not pay workers by taking advantage of their already vulnerable status that is encouraged through our greed and exploitation, and then act like an urbanised mob against the named 'vampires' of our peace and prosperity - i.e. the undocumented migrants.

This is a self-perpetuating cycle. Until we begin to admit our own short-comings in the treatment of migrant workers specifically, and the notion of difference more generally, we will always be living in the fears of our own making. There are very clear human rights issues at stake - to work, mobility, recognition before the law, dignity and respect and equality. Migration in the era of globalisation is a complex issue, and there are no easy answers. But to begin, we must first stop and examine our own complicity in creating harm in an already troubled world.

Jaclyn Kee
6 February 2005