N.S.I-Malaysia, Panel Discussion on Migrant Workers Issues
“MIGRATION is an expression of the human aspiration for dignity, safety and a better future. It is part of the social fabric, part of our very make-up as a human family,” – Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General.
In today’s world, the phenomenon of migration continues to grow despite international criticism and censure. The UN statistics from 2014 show that there are around 232 million international migrants, and expects these numbers to rise.
Alone in South East Asia, a country like Malaysia is a model example of how migration has been helpful in shaping its present. Yet today things in Malaysia aren’t looking that positive, for migrants that come here from more than 12 countries in Asia with the majority coming from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines.
The current challenges of migrant worker rights have pushed this multi diverse country into a national debate; the home to 2.9 million legal foreign workers, additionally issue of 6 million illegal migrant workers is a story for some other time. Malay politics is playing the “foreign workers” issue in a debatable manner and immigration has become a prickly country known otherwise for its friendly and open society.
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| N.S.I Malaysia leads the migrant workers panel discussion |
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| Engaging the young students |
Local organizations working for migrant worker rights are vocal in bringing human rights frame-work, North South Initiative-Malaysia (N.S.I); a national NGO has recently engaged local audiences through its participatory processes needed in such volatile times
A PANEL DISCUSSION was organized by N.S.I yesterday where it’s Executive Director, Adrian Pereira from North South Initiative moderate the discussion for exploring the issues of migrants’ workers in Malaysia along with three migrant coordinators from Nepal, Philippines and Indonesia.
A PANEL DISCUSSION was organized by N.S.I yesterday where it’s Executive Director, Adrian Pereira from North South Initiative moderate the discussion for exploring the issues of migrants’ workers in Malaysia along with three migrant coordinators from Nepal, Philippines and Indonesia.
And this panel discussion was organized in collaboration with INTI University, Malaysia and a total of 85 participants from various disciplines attended this event. Among the speakers included Mr. Iqkram Ismail from Angkatan Bahaman Malaysia, Mr. Bed Kumar GEFONT Nepali Workers and a local labor activist Asyrof served as an observer.
The migrant coordinators shared their diverse experiences of working in various sectors inside Malaysia with the young students present. This was followed by an interesting discussion where panel responded to the issues raised by recent xenophobic events and growing anti migrant sentiment inside Malaysia.
NSI and Inti University hope to collaborate in the long run to find REAL solutions to the problems faced by migrant workers.
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