MP Charles Santiago and rights group say the government should at least take care of the basic rights of the refugees already here.
PETALING JAYA: With the number of refugees in Malaysia on the rise, it is high time the government ensures their basic human rights are protected.
A member of parliament and a rights organisation said, instead of bringing in foreign workers, these refugees should be given the jobs.
Klang MP Charles Santiago said the government should help those seeking refuge here with a chance at a normal life while waiting for permanent placements.
He described the government’s current management of the refugees as “poor”, due to the fact that most of them were destitute.
Santiago said how their presence would affect the country depended greatly on the way the situation was handled.
“Now, the cost to support these refugees is borne by the government and the people. But what the government can do is to get the refugees who are already here to work in service centres or in plantations.
“All they need is some basic education and some caring from the companies or the government itself.
“It would be good for the country as doing this is cheaper than bringing in more migrant workers,” he told FMT. Read more
