Education key to human rights awareness

fz.com
by Kristina Mariswamy

ON Dec 10, 1948, fresh from the nightmares of World War II, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration, a result of the international community vowing never again to allow the atrocities that took place during the war, was to complement the UN Charter, as well as serve as a guide to guarantee the rights of individuals everywhere.

 

Sixty-four years later, the world has come a long way, but there is still a lot to be done where human rights are concerned.

 

The same could be said for Malaysia.

 

While the country has made several improvements within the past few years on the issue of human rights, several areas, especially the treatment of migrant workers, is still a matter of concern.

 

So why exactly does a developing nation that boasts world class infrastructure and education systems still have problems treating fellow human beings with dignity and respect?

 

According to Andrew Khoo, Human Rights committee chairman for the Malaysian Bar Council, the root of the problem starts with the fact that Malaysian society, as a whole, looks down upon foreign workers.

"Malaysian society to an extent feel it is a little superior compared to its neighbours.  So we tend to look down on people who come in to Malaysia to work as foreign workers, not the high paying expatriates of course, but the low paying foreign workers who do dirty and difficult work that Malaysians don’t want to do," he said.

 

"We tend to look down upon them and so we don’t seem to allow them same rights as we would allow ourselves," said Khoo in a phone interview with fz.com.

 

Over the years, Malaysia has time and time again been put in hot water because of its treatment of migrant workers.

 

In 2009, the Indonesian government put a freeze on its citizens coming in to Malaysia to work as maids following repeated reports of abuse by their Malaysian employers. In 2011, Cambodia followed suit.

 

With multiple bans and freezes taking place around the region, it is hard not to question if Malaysia's ill treatment of its migrant workers affects our ties with other countries.

 

According to Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Prof Dr Benny Teh Cheng Guan, who specialises in International Relations, such problems are inevitable.

 

"Reported incidents of bad treatment of foreign workers in Malaysia can and do affect our bilateral ties, more so than regional, with other countries," he told fz.com in an e-mail interview.

 

"Look at Indonesia for example, reports on ill treatment of Indonesian maids has caused tension between Malaysia and Indonesia, putting pressure on both sides to relook at the existing policies or practices and how better mechanisms can be put in place to prevent such incidents from occurring again," said Teh.

 

He also stressed that due to the large number of foreign workers entering and residing in the country, a better management system needs to be in place to avoid situations that allow human rights violations.

 

"We have not been able to manage them successfully because of the huge number of them coming and living in our country be it through legal or illegal means. This inevitably opens up to opportunities for abuse," he said.

 

"The recent 6P legalisation programme and the minimum wage plan are definitely in the right direction but more needs to be done. Signing conventions and treaties is one thing, but managing the flow of foreign workers and their presence and wellbeing in the country is another," added Teh.

 

Teh also added that apart from ensuring the wellbeing of foreign workers, the system in place also needed to be able to empower foreign workers, which in turn will make them less susceptible to abuse.

 

"We need to plug all the loopholes to stop illegal immigrants because they are not only the most susceptible to abuse but involvement in crime. We also need to educate our foreign workers of their rights as some may continue to live in fear of their employers.

 

At the end of the day, according to Teh, the crucial element was educating Malaysians on the issue, as well as ensuring that just action be taken against those that are guilty of abusing or taking advantage of foreign workers.

 

"Unless and until we can successfully integrate foreign workers into our society, we will continue to face such problems.