PUBLIC sentiment regarding the overwhelming presence of foreign workers in the country has not been positive of late.
Many Malaysians are lamenting that certain areas have become ‘Little Dhakas’ or ‘Mini Myanmars’ whereby foreign nationals appear to rule the roost and do as they see fit.
The latest example highlighted on social media shows how some foreigner butchers have turned a public walkway in Kajang into a wet market by cutting and selling meat in unhygienic conditions.
According to the poster @Vandeeta3 who vented on X (formerly Twitter), these traders when approached brazenly name-dropped the municipal authorities.
Dah mcm tinggal kat Bangladesh, suka² jer ko melapah daging atas lantai. Bila aku bising, boleh plk petik @MPKajang , diaorg pun takder bising, takder kacau. Aku harap @MPKajang sila ambil tindakan. #Immigration #KPDNKK pic.twitter.com/J60gV61PHM
— fahaizalzee (@Vandeeta3) February 11, 2024
His post brought forth a lot of similar complaints about lack of enforcement from the authorities.
The post also highlighted why there is increasing prejudice towards foreign nationals.
The horrifying lack of hygiene also shocked many netizens.
In a latest update, the poster says the authorities have stepped in to clear the area of this ad hoc butcher menace. A brief video showing clear walkways was posted.
Update terbaru @MPKajang sudah menjalankan tugasnya .. tkasih semua diatas keprihatinan anda.Terima kasih byk² kpd pegawai dan warga @MPKajang . Kepada @imigresenmy jengok²lah kawasan ni.Dpn simpang dah ada depoh tahanan imegresen Semenyih.@imigresenmy jalan kaki jer dah sampai pic.twitter.com/XMpAykvdWp
— fahaizalzee (@Vandeeta3) February 13, 2024
The question that seriously needs to be asked is this – will the relevant authorities only be spurred into action after the issue has been highlighted on social media?
Such instances have become increasingly frequent as exemplified by a citizen’s move to repair road potholes using his own funds after repeatedly being ignored by relevant authorities. It was only after the issue went viral did the relevant ADUN speak up.
The same was highlighted regarding illegal parking touts harassing motorists in Kuala Lumpur. Lax enforcement seems to be the key issue here as a social media post shows that even high-profile areas such as the PETRONAS Twin Towers had become ‘business premises’ for foreign nationals.
Is social media the only avenue left for concerned citizens? Is naming and shaming the SOP (standard operating procedure) necessary if urgent action is required?
With the huge number of migrant workforce in the country, it is imperative that the authorities and enforcement agencies carry out their duties efficiently and effectively, lest the insinuation that some form of impropriety has gone down.
The post as well as the many negative comments highlight the depth of the problem as well as the ill-feeling of many Malaysians towards foreign nationals who are perceived to be doing as they wish regardless of local laws and customs.
Some urgent action needs to be done before the tension escalates further – and that means immediate action on makeshift butcher outlets. – Feb 14, 2024
