The Development of Malaysia’s Transnational Migration Policyand Its Current Problems from the Perspectives of Migrants
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Abstract
The aim of this article is twofold: (1) to study Malaysia’s labour policy and management from the 1950s to 2019, and (2) to analyze reflections of migrant workers from Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia on the current problems of Malaysian migration policy. The article’s conceptual framework lies at the intersection of the top-down and bottom-up approaches. The outcome of the study reveals that Malaysia’s labour policy and management have proceeded in tandem to promote Malaysia to be a first world country. The policy focus has been close controlling and monitoring of foreign-labour number and hiring system. Despite Malaysia’s attempts in alleviating better social welfare and well-being of transnational labour, documented migrant workers gave accounts of problems they have faced in Malaysia, namely the issue of fundamental human rights and everyday multiculturalism. In their opinions, their problems stem from Malaysian inefficiency of law enforcement and the politicization of issues related to foreign migrants by both the political and media sectors in Malaysia.
Article Details
บทความที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์เป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของวารสารมนุษยศาสตร์และสังคมศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยอุบลราชธานี
ข้อความที่ปรากฏในบทความแต่ละเรื่องในวารสารวิชาการเล่มนี้เป็นความคิดเห็นส่วนตัวของผู้เขียนแต่ละท่านไม่เกี่ยวข้องกับมหาวิทยาลัยอุบลราชธานี และคณาจารย์ท่านอื่นๆในมหาวิทยาลัยฯ แต่อย่างใด ความรับผิดชอบองค์ประกอบทั้งหมดของบทความแต่ละเรื่องเป็นของผู้เขียนแต่ละท่าน หากมีความผิดพลาดใดๆ ผู้เขียนแต่ละท่านจะรับผิดชอบบทความของตนเองแต่ผู้เดียว
References
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Interview
Farida, Fatima, Nanu (Pseudonyms of three female migrants from Thailand). (March 7, 2018). At restaurants in the area of Pataling Jaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Maria, Nadir; Teresa, Anna, Anne (Pseudonyms of five female migrants from the Philippines). (March 4, 2018). At Tahanang in the St. John Church, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Nasara, Moda, Yarida, Mohamad, Jorha (Pseudonyms of three female and two male migrants from Indonesia). (March 9, 2018) at the office of North-South Initiative, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Union and Shorle, (Pseudonyms of two male migrants from Thailand). (March 3, 2018). At a Thai restaurant in the area of the government quarter in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
