Yoursay: Malaysians stand to lose more in tit-for-tat with India

YOURSAY | ‘It will not be to our favour as we are simply too dependent on bigger nations...’

Indian expats and workers in Kadir's crosshairs, tit-for-tat mooted

Evin K: Indians were mostly brought in by the colonial British empire only slightly more than a century ago to work and run oil palm estates, amongst others, and to further develop that industry - the same oil palm industry that veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin is ironically grumbling about right now.

We are an oil palm rich powerhouse today thanks to these pioneering Indians.

Kadir appears to have his head buried in the sand. He doesn't understand that we have little bargaining chip against a country like India.

The number of Indian expatriates and workers currently working here is a drop in the ocean compared to the almost 1.4 billion Indians citizens. His threats have zero effect.

Kadir must also be reminded that we brought Indian expatriates for the same reason we bring any other expatriate workers - because there is a need for their skills and expertise in our country. So no one is doing anyone any favours here.

As for growing our own food, which is an initiative that should be looked at regardless of Kadir's grouses with India, that will take decades. So what are we going to eat in the meantime?

Anonymous_b3cdcd05: Is this what Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad means by “Malays will react the Malay way”? What we sow is what we reap.

Our government, more specifically Mahathir, has interfered in India's internal affairs on the issue of controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik, Kashmir and citizenship - all in the name of defending Islam that really are matters of India's internal security.

India, on the other hand, gives a wide berth on Malaysian affairs, all in the name of maintaining friendly relations, even though Indians here have suffered decades of discrimination and marginalisation. Maintaining friendly ties and diplomacy is not a one-way process.

It is India's prerogative with whom it wants to trade and from whom it wants to purchase its commodities. We cannot force them by threats or intimidation.

Kadir's suggestion to take it out on Indian workers here is morally despicable. This is hitting below the belt, bearing in mind we are solely responsible for this diplomatic wrangle.

This is a lesson in humility. The matter must be resolved through goodwill. Not the “Malay way”.

Gotcha: Kadir, your suggestions will create more damage to the country. In short, what our PM needs to do is to officially withdraw the statements he made.

Alternatively, maybe on behalf of the government, Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok can apologise for the statements made by PM.

Think long term, we must sell our palm oil. Don't let our palm oil industry collapse. Remember Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan cannot help in any way to buy our palm oil, and they may not even buy our Proton X70 vehicles.

So, let us embark on damage control and move forward. Our high-powered government officials can also make a trip to India to apologise and discuss other related matters.

Visit Malaysia 2020 is expecting over 500,000 tourists from India. What happens if India imposes additional conditions on these tourists visiting Malaysia? Let’s be smart and think of solutions, not retaliation.

Anonymous_1544340881: I am surprised by Kadir who is someone I thought has more substance. His assertion of retaliation by targeting expatriates is rather simplistic.

Malaysia has never welcomed foreigners to a great degree except perhaps Muslims from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and those involved in Project IC in Sabah. Even Muslim refugees from Myanmar have a tough time in Malaysia.

Knowing this, anyone that Malaysia allows in is not from the goodness of our hearts. It is because these people contribute jobs, skills and capital which Malaysia does not possess and indeed, we need more and more.

This is especially since India produces engineers and we, alas, produce half-baked religious scholars. So to prevent these expatriates from working in Malaysia is going to damage us more than help us.

Do not cut your nose to spite your face. If we do not get cheaper Indian experts, do we get them from China or the West? It will cost more.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Kadir, your statement smacks of racism. Malaysia interfered with the internal affairs of a foreign nation on an issue that has nothing to do with us. On the Kashmir issue, we got the facts wrong.

To say that Malaysia was gracious enough to grant citizenship to Indians during Merdeka, let me remind you that it was because the three races agreed on a formula that the British granted independence.

Now, you want to target Indian expatriates who are contributing to our information technology industry because Indian importers want to boycott our palm oil?

It says a lot about your thinking and logical deduction. What has A (the expatriate workers in Malaysia) got to do with B (palm oil boycott)?

P Dev Anand Pillai: Indeed, sending the Indian expatriates back will only result in a brain drain. There are many who are in the technical fields which require specialist knowledge and know-how, and there are also those in the information technology sectors.

So, sending them back will not cause India any problem as these people will go to the Gulf and Middle East states who always welcome them. It will be for us to lose as we do not have the expertise to replace them.

Instead, start taking heed of what former finance minister Daim Zainuddin had suggested that we should go back to our roots and re-cultivate our agricultural base and start thinking about food security by boosting food production.

Our people themselves should do it and not depend on labourers from Bangladesh, Nepal or Myanmar.

A tit-for-tat response will not be to our favour as we are simply too dependent on bigger nations for our basic needs. We have to learn from our neighbour Singapore, though tiny - they are way ahead on planning and executing future food security needs for their country. - Mkini