Think justice beyond any selfish nationalistic contrivances

Focus Malaysia

2 days ago

DISCRIMINATION based on one or another form of human identity or attributes, such as race, color, religion, and wealth, is a global phenomenon.
At present, discrimination based on nationality, more particularly discrimination against the immigrant population, is on top of the agenda of political gimmicks in many countries. In fact, immigrants are more like 'aliens' in many countries.
Nationalist agenda such as 'America First' or 'Japanese First' is becoming popular in the respective countries. One of the two disturbing and sinister human behaviours lies at the root of this agenda: 'I have more rights' or 'I am superior'.
The growing crowd of the nationalist agenda fails to realise that there will be a time coming when they will fight among themselves to ascribe more rights or superiority to one over the other.
This is obviously because the race to declare who is superior or who has more rights is endless!
Alienating immigrants by the nationalist agenda follows the same sinister principle: citizens are superior and have more rights than immigrants.
Indisputably, every citizen has some exclusive rights in their country which do not apply to an immigrant, such as voting, priority for employment, or even ownership of estate and immovable properties.
However, certain policy-based discrimination against immigrant populations is no less than the 'institutionalisation' of racism.
The Malaysian government has recently introduced a policy to offer subsidised RON95 petrol for its citizens.
Such subsidised price is not for foreigners (including permanent residents) who are living in the country either for work or as a member of a Malaysian family.
In addition, a foreign student (including permanent residents) will need to pay an extra 6% on top of the heightened 'international' tuition fees.
Many immigrants have been living legally and working in Malaysia for decades by paying the due tax. However, these very immigrants are not entitled to enjoy any privileges or subsidies of any form that are based on the taxpayers' money.
Immigrants are not fighting for rights to give vote, have priority in employment, or purchase any property. But they have the rights to talk about their life and livelihood.
Their rights that they deserve for the contribution they make for the country must not be denied. One can make a policy or law to deprive them of their due rights, but it will neither be just nor ethical on the scale of humanity.
Malaysia earned a reputation for discriminating against immigrants, including permanent residents, even to enter Masjids during the COVID-19 pandemic, as if they were the reasons for the spread of the virus.
In a recent episode, immigrant workers were condemned to go to masjids during buka puasa during the month of fasting.
Just to put it in perspective, was it very difficult for wealthy Malaysians to share their fortune during buka puasa with the blue-collar immigrant workers?
The brute reality is that most of the so-called civilised countries are unable to run for even 24 hours without any immigrants working for them.
It must be emphasised that by all means, the government must take every possible action to stop illegal immigrants from entering and living in their country, but they don't have to make a policy to deprive the legal ones of their civic and human rights.
Any civilised nation, including Malaysia, may consider enumerating the contributions of immigrants in rolling out its economy.
Immigrant lecturers or foreign students, at the least, are essential to achieve a higher position in the global university ranking. Can Malaysian universities run without them?
Remember, Malaysian children are being educated by the immigrant lecturers. Then, why deprive the immigrant lecturers who educate future generations of citizens and the foreign students who not only pay higher tuition fees but also add points for university ranking have to be deprived from certain privileges for their life and livelihood while they are living in Malaysia?
An immigrant is always irrelevant to those who play 'nationalist' political gimmicks. But the reality is, most of us are immigrants, either in our current generation or earlier ones.
Perhaps, the policymakers, many of whom, if not all, are descendants of immigrants, might want to justify their actions imposed on the current immigrant populations who contribute to the economy of the country and pay taxes.
It is not difficult to ensure justice while dealing with the immigrants, beyond any selfish nationalistic contrivances.
So, measure justice on the scale of humanity. Or else, all the citizens who enjoy the tax paid by the immigrants have to pay it back to those immigrants. If not today or tomorrow, it will be on the Judgment Day. ‒ Aug 11, 2025
Prof Mohammad is the Deputy Executive Director (Development, Research & Innovation) at International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), Universiti Malaya .
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
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