OUR leaders would only be making things worse by using heavy-handed methods to deal with undocumented migrant workers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a sad indication that some our ministers think they know everything and don’t need to consider suggestions of others.
“The National Security Council (NSC) should seriously address this glaring weakness in our COVID-19 control strategy and take immediate steps to win over the cooperation of foreign workers.
“In addition to announcing the moratorium on immigration offenses, the Government should also take immediate steps to improve the quality of basic services at the quarantine centres for mildly symptomatic COVID-19 cases,” Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) chairperson Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj told FocusM.
On Jan 14, Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the Government would rope in the armed forces to apprehend and detain undocumented migrant workers.
Several politicians and unionists have cautioned the Government earlier that they should not resort to heavy-handed tactics to deal with undocumented foreign workers for the time being, due to the pandemic.
Klang MP Charles Santiago have urged the Government to issue a temporary amnesty to undocumented migrant workers and their employers, so that they would come voluntarily to get tested for COVID-19.
UNI-Malaysia Labour Centre (UNI-MLC) president Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal also echoed Santiago’s sentiments and urged the authorities to rope in services from High Commissions and Embassies to assist in the matter.
We need support from illegal foreign workers
Jeyakumar said that his party has been advocating for a year-long moratorium for immigration offenses to remove the main obstacle preventing illegal migrant workers from cooperating with the Government to prevent the rise of pandemic.
“While we have about two million documented migrant workers, we have another group, ranging between three and four million, staying here without valid documents.
“This second group will avoid contact with the Government’s health services, as approaching authorities for COVID-19 tests will likely result in their arrest, internment and deportation. For the vast majority of these young and relatively fit workers, COVID-19 will only result in a mild self-limiting illness with a mortality rate of less than 0.3%.
“So, it is not in their interest to cooperate with our Government’s effort to identify and quarantine all positive COVID-19 cases. And given their vast numbers, this reluctance will severely impair our efforts to control the transmission of COVID-19 in our country,” the former Sungai Siput MP opined.
On that note, Jeyakumar reminded the Government that the public healthcare facilities are getting overwhelmed due to the rising number of new infections, with some quarantine centres having insufficient toilets and poorly maintained.
“Surely the Government can position some mobile toilets in these centres or else, quickly build new ones.
“China built a 15-storey hospital in Wuhan in 12 days. Surely, we can build a single-storey facility with 50 toilets in two weeks! Perhaps some of the relatively asymptomatic COVID-19 patients can be given contracts to keep the premises, including the toilets, clean,” he said.
Jeyakumar added that while Malaysians are making huge sacrifices to get the pandemic under control, the Government should take creative steps to ensure the sacrifice is not made in vain.
“It will be a great injustice to the many Malaysians who are sacrificing for the greater good if the Government continues to mishandle our undocumented foreign workers, which may result in the extension of the lockdown period,” he added. – Jan 17, 2021.
