Namewee has a video which talked about Banglasia. It is a satirical look at the foreign worker situation in the country. I am sure most of the readers have seen the video, but for those who have not, here is the link:
Malaysia is full of Bangladesh foreign workers. But in Pudu, it is fast becoming a little Myanmar. There are so many Myanmar people everywhere you go. Many have wives and children. Some hold UNHCR cards, but i suspect there are also many illegals among them.
If you go to Pudu market, which was dominated by Chinese Malaysian Traders before, you will notice that there are many stalls run by Myanmar people. Many are their own bosses. There are also Myanmar people selling wan-tan mee and operating other food stalls.
In Jalan Silang, there ae shops run by foreign workers, and the signboards are full of foreign words, it is hard to miss that they are foreign worker-owned businesses.
while it is not easy for a local to get permits to operate a shop, how did all these foreigners get their licenses and permits? or are they running the businesses illegally?
If foreign workers are not supposed to own and run businesses on their own, why aren’t there any enforcement to nap these people?
Is it so difficult to determine whether a foreigner running the business is legitimate?
Or is it because of some other factors?
Dr. Hsu's forum 
Jul 10, 2013 @ 13:08:35
Usually I landed up in Pudu central whenever I go down to KL. Years ago it was the Indon now overtaken by Bangla and Myanmar people. I saw some wearing T-shirt with words like “Banglaland”. Try taking the rapid bus between 7am-9am and 5pm-7pm, 90% are Bangla & Myanmar passengers. Not being racist or inhuman but govt needs to have control over their existence in our country. In the 70’s & 80’s Singapore face the same problem with the Indons/Malaysians but they managed to control them in a very strict way. I would put the situation as very serious but as we see it other factors may be the reason for it.
LikeLike
Jul 30, 2013 @ 23:40:26
In term of customer service, Myanmar are rather rude and they don’t smile. I cannot say the same for the Chinese speaking or Chinese Myanmar, they are much better. A small number of them work in Chinese restaurant, not food courts or coffee shops.
The best of foreign workers would be Indonesian, they have better customer relationship.
What surprises me that Myanmar people comes with their whole family in toe. How could that be?! The wife does not work and looks after their children. Indonesian has long been in Malaysia. I do not see Indonesian having a family here as huge numbers as the Myanmar. Most Indonesian working here or doing business here have their children back home. Something need to be done on the Myanmar.
Myanmar people has the worst character of foreign workers, they smoke while serving food, get drunk during the evening, speaks loud and rude, body full of tattoo. Only one thing that Malaysian like about them, they can work hard and cost less than Indonesian.
Malaysia has been invaded, whether you like it or not.
LikeLike
Jul 31, 2013 @ 11:45:07
wave 33,
I drive past San Peng Road everyday. one of the things that strikes me is that many of these people are not scared of cars. They will walk across the road slowly , somethings with babies on their back. Cars have to be extremely careful while driving along these roads where lots of Myanmar families are staying. Even some of the older chidlren will just dash across the roads.
I agree with you that something must be done..Not just for the Myanmar people, but all the foreign workers as a whole.
LikeLike
Dec 30, 2013 @ 13:39:51
Maybe learning a little more about Myanmar and their people will help you understand why they are here. Myanmar, especially the Northern region, is involved in long-running civil wars that have been causing deaths and sufferings, forcing the people to flee the country. When they come to Malaysia as asylum seekers or refugees, they are supposed to be protected by the refugee law. However, Malaysia does not recognize them as refugees or asylum seekers; they are regarded as “illegal immigrants”. There are some refugee camps around Malaysia but there isn’t enough space. Lack of basic hygiene and food, they’ll have to work to stay alive, somewhat illegally. Due to the lack of legal status, they are vulnerable without any form of protection. No nationality, no legal support. There are police crack downs and many of these foreigners get detained and treated unlawfully. Not sure what the officers do with them but it can’t be very nice at all when everyone is cramped into small spaces and not being fed enough, if at all. So here’s a little of what I know about the Burmese who live in Malaysia. I understand the sufferings of these people might not concern to you, but yea, just some insight on their existence.
I do agree that something need to be done by the government to control the influx of foreigners. We also have to figure out what can we do on our end as citizens of Malaysia, because complaining about the incompetence of the government doesn’t seem to help at all.
Wave33: The Burmese are having family and kids here, or anywhere else they live, maybe because they’re not planning to go back to their “homeland” at all. Unlike the Indonesian, they are not making money for family back home, because many of them just do not have home. Due to the lack of knowledge of birth control and family planning, I assume they see having a family as a very natural process of life.
Sorry for my irrelevant input of my own thoughts. I think if you are truly concerned about the situation of foreigner workers in Malaysia, there are more that you can do to help, other than just telling people the amount of foreign workers we have on the streets.
For further reading:
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_allowing_refugees_and_asylum_seekers_access_to_lawful_employment_is_a_positive_step_in_the_right_direction.html
LikeLike