Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Foreign workers muse on the great Malaysian racial divide

Written By Selena Tay
This writer interviewed a foreign worker from a country torn apart by strife.
He has a diploma, is currently employed as a wiring technician, speaks good English and is staying in the same neighbourhood as the writer in Kepong.
 Sharing his views of Malaysia, he said, "This country's administrative system is bad. In my eight- year stay in this country, I have seen much assistance given only to a certain race. If you think you are in difficulty due to not belonging to the 'elite', then we are no better as we have to 'pay extra' for some services, if you know what I mean."
He said that although Malaysia is still better than his country which is beset by internal strife, there is no leader capable enough of bringing this country out of the system and therefore the nation will go downhill fast.
20110609.171421 foreignworkerstHe mentioned that some of his colleagues who are not from the 'elite' community seemed to have lost hope and some are even thinking of going overseas to work illegally. 
Great racial divide
In his opinion, the racial divide is a great impediment to progress as the government is still vindictive where a particular community is concerned, due to this community's support for the opposition in the previous general election.
He predicted that in the near future, Malaysia may experience an economic slump because of the Goods & Services Tax (GST) which he views as a terrible burden on the poor and the low-income group.
"Surely the poor will spend less due to the GST and some of them will find it difficult to make ends meet. I too will suffer," he remarked.
Another foreign worker, a neighbour's construction worker, said that he is going home soon as his country has  just elected a new leader who seems promising.
"If he turns out to be lousy, we will vote him out too, unlike you Malaysians who keep voting for the same party every general election. Soon you will come to work in my country just as I have done in yours, haha," he chuckled.

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