The Foreign Ministry’s response to my Parliament question shows us how little the Government cares for the refugees in Malaysia. Not surprising that just three days ago, a report released by Amnesty said that Malaysia is a “dangerous” place for refugees who were often often abused, arrested and “treated like criminals”.
Once again, I urge the Ministry of Human Resource to give temporary work permits to the refugees in Malaysia. This will not only help them survive while they are being processed by UNHCR, but will also help ease Malaysia’s labour shortage which is ultimately to our own benefit. Enough of the “masih mengkaji” excuse!
Pertanyaan: Bagi Jawab Lisan
Daripada: YB Puan Teresa Kok Suh Sim [Seputeh]
Tarikh: 9 Jun 2010
Soalan: YB Puan Teresa Kok Suh Sim minta Menteri Luar Negeri Menyatakan bilakah kerajaan akan membenarkan orang pelarian negara asing di Malaysia untuk bekerja di Malaysia? Apakah langkah diambil oleh kerajaan untuk memberi pendidikan kepada golongan generasi kedua orang pelarian tersebut?
Jawapan:
Tuan Yang Di Pertua,
Saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Yang Berhormat Seputeh ke atas soalan yang dikemukakan.
Tuan Yang Di Pertua,
2. (sic) Untuk makluman Dewan sekalian, Malaysia bukan merupakan negara pihak kepada Konvensyen Berkaitan Status Orang-Orang Pelarian 1951 dan Protokolnya 1967 (Convention Relation to the Status of Refugees 1951 and its Protocol 1967), yang menjadi asas bagi menentukan taraf pelarian bagi seseorang individu. Kerajaan berpendapat sekiranya Malaysia menjadi negara pihak Konvensyen tersebut, dan disoking oleh faktor kedudukan geografi Malaysia yang strategik di rantau Asia Tenggara, ianya akan menjadi faktor penrik kepada individu-individu datang ke Malaysia dan menuntut taraf sebagai orang pelarian, padahal, mereka sebenarnya datang ke Malaysia atas alasan mencari nafkah.
3. Oleh kerana tidak ada undang-undang khas bagi orang pelarian di negara ini, isu orang pelarian adalah tertakluk di bawah Akta Imigresen 1959/63 (Pindaan 2002), di mana ke semua mereka dianggap sebagai Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin (PATI).
4. Memandangkan orang-orang pelarian ini dianggap sebagai Pendatang Tanpa Izin (PATI), dan dengan ketiadaan dokumen pengenalan diri yang sah, ini menyukarkan pendatang tanpa izin ini memasuki alam pekerjaan. Dokumen pengenalan diri yang dikeluarkan oleh pihak UNHCR tidak diiktiraf oleh pihak Kerajaan kerana Malaysia bukan merupakan negara pihak kepada Konvensyen Berkaitan Status Orang-Orang Pelarian 1951 dan Protokolnya 1967.
5. Saya difahamkan bahawa Kementerian Sumber Manusia masih mengkaji dengan teliti cadangan membenarkan PATI yang mendaftar dengan pihak UNHCR di negara ini bekerja secara sah di Malaysia. Ini memandangkan terdapat beberapa isu perlu dikupas seperti pentapan sektor yang benar-benar sesuai dengan mereka yang berkenaan yang terdiri daripada pelbagai warganegara, agar tidak menjejaskan peluang untuk rakyat tempatan mendapatkan peluang pekerjaan.
6. Mengenai pendidikan untuk generasi kedua PATI yang mendaftar dengan pihak UNHCR pula, Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia tidak mempunyai dasar bagi memberi pendidikan formal kepada generasi kedua PATI yang telah mendaftar dengan pihak UNJCR memandangkan mereka tidak mempunyaiu dokumen pengenalan diri yang sah. Walau bagaimanapun, selaras dengan usaha memberi pendidikan untuk semua, Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia sentiasa bekerjasama dengan pelbagai agensi sama ada dalam kerajaan, pihak swasta dan badan-badan bukan kerajaan (NGOs) dalam menyediakan pendidikan alternatif kepada generasi kedua pendatang-pendatang yang berkenaan.
Sekian, terima kasih.
These refugees do not have the right to vote and consequently nobody is interested in them let alone fight for their needs ?
You too are just wasting your time. better use your time to fight the corrupted Umno morons and when you are in a position to do so then do something for them. Your present priority is to ensure that the corrupted morons and goons are kick out in the next GE.
Ever heard of the old saying charity begins at home !
YB Teresa Kok, malaysians are the ones who voted you into office hence you should dedicate fulltime to help them not foreigners. Charity begins at home.
YB, your actions are definitely others-centred, and must be applauded. You are concerned about justice and human rights of all – unlike some other ‘wakil rakyats’ who is only interested in doing what will get them voted back as an MP/ADUN. Sadly, these people will be silent on issues affecting non-voters, especially migrants, refugees, etc. They will also not be interested in making a response to injustice in other countries – unless of course it puts them in a good books of their constituents.
Do not become one of them, where actions are always based on ‘self-interest’ and ‘self-benefits’. Do, as you have always been doing to stand up for what is right…and to condemn what is wrong.
michelle
we need wakil rakyats who have a humanitarian orientation.
we are citizens of the world and cannot run away from our responsibility as a compassionate human being to another.
going by your logic, an UMNO MP who got voted in by malay voters should not aid a chinese voter in his constituency who did not vote for him or her; like wise, if an Indian did not vote for a DAP ADUN then he or she can fly kite izzit?
presence of refugees in malaysia is a fact; if threated badly, it is both against the UN charter for refugees, against universal human values, against compassionate teachings of all religions and oppressed and neglected refugees would present security threat to Malaysians within their vicinity
it is not as it Teresa is abandoning her responsibilities to Malaysians…try and see her daily schedule before making a sweeiping 1 sentence conclusion.
yes, the pain, suffering and sense of well being of a fellow human being of a wrong nationality is as important as the longkang in front of your house