ID :
373670
Tue, 07/07/2015 - 09:44
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Should Rohingya Refugees Be Allowed To Work In Malaysia?

By Norshazlina Nor'azman KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- The ethnic Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, described as one of the most oppressed communities in the world, have been facing discrimination in their own homeland and denied of citizenship since 1962. With no end to their plight seemingly in sight, thousands of them are fleeing to neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to escape persecution in their homeland. In Malaysia alone, as of May 31 this year, 93 percent of the 153,004 refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) were from Myanmar. The Rohingyas and members of the ethnic Chin community formed the bulk of the Myanmar refugees, at 46,581 and 49,340 respectively. Other Myanmar minorities registered with the UNHCR were Myanmar Muslims (12,298), Arakanese (7,266), Mon (5,378), Kachin (4,476), Karen Kayin (4,508), Burmese (3,329), Shan/Thai Yai (1,510) and others (7,538). It is understood that there are another 20,000 Rohingyas in this country who have yet to be registered. NOT ALLOWED TO WORK Recently, the Dewan Negara (Malaysian Senate) was told that the government has no intention of allowing UNHCR-registered Rohingyas to work in this country, as it feared that allowing them to do so would open the floodgates for the huge numbers of asylum-seekers waiting at the nation's border areas. Deputy Human Resources Minister Ismail Abd Muttalib said it was an offence for any employer to hire the refugees. He said, however, all UNHCR-registered refugees, including Rohingyas, were extended temporary aid on humanitarian grounds. Although the Malaysian government has valid reasons for not allowing the refugees to work, wouldn't it be a strain on its finances to continue giving them aid? How would the refugees be able to take care of themselves and their families if they are not allowed to seek employment? Wouldn't they resort to begging in the streets? GOVERNMENT SHOULD RECONSIDER DECISION Asso Prof Dr Ahmad Martadha Mohamed, who is dean of Malaysian university, Universiti Utara Malaysia's College of Legal, Government and International Studies, said before giving the green light to refugees to work, the government should first determine if there was a shortage of workers in any particular sector. If given the go-ahead, care should be taken to ensure that they did not rob the locals of job opportunities, he added. He felt that the government should reconsider its stand on this matter and allow Rohingyas possessing UNHCR cards to work on humanitarian grounds. He suggested that they be permitted to work in certain sectors like plantations, adding that the government should screen them carefully to ensure that only those possessing the necessary skills were hired. "Perhaps, the government can reconsider its policy and give the refugees a chance to work in this country, but their numbers should be regulated and they should only be allowed to work in industries which are short of manpower. "Having the Rohingya workers at their disposal will also ease the problems faced by employers, especially those in the plantations sector. At the same time, it will help the refugees as well," he said when contacted by Bernama. He said any decision by the government to allow the refugees to work would endear the nation to the international community within the context of the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees 1951, although it was not ratified by the Malaysian government as it did not want the nation to become a transit centre for asylum-seekers. REGULATE ENTRY OF MIGRANT WORKERS Ahmad Martadha said if the existing Rohingya refugees were allowed to take up jobs, then the intake of workers from other countries could be reduced and employers need not have to resort to hiring illegal immigrants to fill up vacancies. "The government shouldn't fear that more immigrants will come our way (if the Rohingyas are allowed to work). What it should do is beef up the security at the border areas so that foreigners can only enter our country legally. "We can't avoid being the focal point for immigrants... not only Malaysia, countries like Turkey, Sweden, the United States and Germany are also sought after by immigrants," he said, adding that this was why it was crucial for Malaysia to impose stringent conditions on the hiring of refugees as workers. PRESS MYANMAR TO END PERSECUTION As this year's ASEAN chair, why isn't Malaysia putting more pressure on Myanmar to allow the Rohingyas to return to their homeland? According to Ahmad Martadha, compelling Myanmar to reopen its doors to the refugees may not be the best option. "Our government can only give advice... if they don't want to accept them (Rohinyas), we have no control over that because we don't want to interfere in the internal affairs of any ASEAN member," he said. He, however, felt that it was vital for Malaysia to press the Myanmar government to halt the oppression of the Rohingyas and stop discriminating against them, pointing out that the community should be recognised as rightful citizens of that country. "They're not only being chased out of their own country but also being discriminated against and persecuted. Malaysia has the huge responsibility of putting pressure on Myanmar to end the crisis, which is also causing hardship for its neighbouring countries. "Why should we be burdened with the Rohingya refugees when we're not the cause of their problems?" he asked. MTUC AGAINST HIRING REFUGEES Meanwhile, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) President Mohd Khalid Atan said the time was not ripe for Malaysia to allow the Rohingya refugees to work because there was already a large pool of foreign workers in the country. "In view of the present situation, we can't allow them to work, at least for the time being as there are so many legal and illegal workers in the country now... in fact, we've more than we need. "If we allow the Rohingyas to work, then refugees from other ethnic groups in other countries will also demand for the same privilege," he said. He added that it could be possible for refugees to be allowed to work once the government has resolved the various issues involving illegal workers and put in place an effective system to regulate and monitor the migrant workforce. --BERNAMA

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