We owe migrant workers gratitude for building our world

 

A friend of mine sent me a photo which showed a woman carrying a placard that read: “2/3 of (former US president Donald) Trump’s wives were immigrants….”

While the woman was accurate in her remarks and made a valid point, she seemed oblivious to US history. Apart from the Native Americans, the rest of the US population are descendants of immigrants.

I discussed this point with friends and mentioned I am proud that my roots can be traced to a small village Valiathura in Trivandrum, Kerala.

A friend responded, “We all come from somewhere” - a pertinent remark suggesting we all have our roots. Only one person I know of seems ashamed of his roots.

The US has been a melting pot of migrants from around the world. The Native Americans are the land’s original inhabitants, but they have suffered the most. It took a couple of centuries to reduce such racial discrimination in the US, although some pockets of discrimination still exist in parts of the US.

But much has changed since the 1960s, when discrimination against minorities, particularly African Americans, was rife.

Immigrants from Eastern Europe had fled to the US to escape persecution under communist regimes.

The Irish migrated to the US after the mid-19th Century potato famine in their country.

Hundreds of thousands of Africans were forcibly shipped to the US as slaves from the 16th to the 19th century before finally being freed.

Asians and Hispanics arrived in the US after wars in their countries. Some escaped from the shackles of poverty in their homelands. Others were enticed by lucrative employment and business opportunities.

The UK drew migrants from its overseas colonies to address labour shortages in many sectors. Asians in Uganda were banished from their country in 1972 and sent to the UK.

Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, many, fearing persecution, left Vietnam as “boat people”. They later resettled in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US. Today, many of these Vietnamese are success stories in their adopted countries.

Assimilation

Like many Western countries, Australia hosts immigrants from all over the world. Many of them are today shining examples of how migrants and refugees have assimilated into their adopted countries.

Sweden, where I worked for over four years, is home to immigrants from a host of nations. During my stint in Stockholm, I befriended many migrants. Some of them related to me their horrifying experiences in their home countries that compelled them to leave with a heavy heart.

Whenever I visited Norway, I noticed the country, too, is home to migrants from around the world. These migrants include Tamil Sri Lankans, many of whom displayed sheer resilience from the time they arrived in the country.

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Not wanting to dwell in self-pity, these Sri Lankan refugees worked hard, doing all kinds of work. They were imbued with self-pride and did not wish to get ‘free money’ through social security.

I was pleased to see my refugee friends succeeding in life. Success did not come on a silver platter for them, but it was because of their persistence and intelligence. They are living examples of how hard work is key to success in any country.

So, why should local inhabitants in other countries constantly complain about the many issues and problems they face in life when these migrants and refugees have succeeded through sheer hard work?

Migrant entrepreneurs like my friends have contributed enormously to Sweden’s economy. Most of these migrant entrepreneurs are honest and hardworking people who pay their taxes – which are critical in supporting Sweden’s welfare state.

Without these industrious migrants, many sectors in Sweden would have encountered difficulties. Any country would be proud to have these migrants as citizens.

Migrant workers in Malaysia

Malaysia, too, has to acknowledge the immense contribution of its migrant workers, both past and present. These workers have assumed a critical role in the economic development and prosperity of the nation.

We owe them a debt of gratitude for their contributions, the fruit of which we now enjoy.

But sadly, often because of prejudice, many Malaysians look down scornfully on these migrant workers. Let’s open our eyes and recognise these workers’ immeasurable contribution to the country and its economy. Imagine the billions of ringgits the economy would have lost if not for these migrant workers.

From morning to evening, I see Indonesian workers toiling in the heat to build my neighbour’s house. I have nothing but the utmost admiration for their work ethic. These are the true everyday heroes of Malaysia.

Malaysians should always acknowledge the contributions of the country’s migrant workers, both past and present. If we fail to do so, it would mean we have lost our moral compass as a nation, and we can in no way consider ourselves civilised and decent human beings. - Mkini

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This article was originally published on Aliran.

BENEDICT LOPEZ was director of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority in Stockholm and economics counsellor at the Malaysian embassy there from 2010-2014.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.