Real #101 : Immigrants.

For a large part of human history, people were free to move between regions for economic, political or socio-cultural reasons but such freedom is curtailed in modern times with the demarcation of political boundaries and the creation of nation states which institute immigration laws to regulate cross-border migration. However, these laws are often inadequate or not enforceable and international migration continues. In the last three decades or so, labour migration the world over has accelerated. The same applies to our country Malaysia. Immigrants in our country comprise a substantial portion of the Malaysian population, numbering as many as 3 million ( including illegal immigrants) by some estimates, with many of them hailing from Indonesia, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. Here in Malaysia, immigrants tend to take odd jobs unpalatable to the local populace, such as working in construction sites, tending stalls, or cleaning jobs. Although Malaysians differ in how vehemently they oppose the presence of foreign nationals here, it seems clear that for a lot of people, foreigners are at best a necessary evil and not something to be welcomed; - a blind belief which i think can be strongly rebutted.

The container house, where 4 immigrants from Jawa Timur resides. They're employed by one of the nation's main turnkey contractor for the double-track railway project.


After a long day of laborious works, they'll spent the afternoon lounging in the vicinity of their house. All four of them are in-charge for the piling works of the project, and they deal with heavy machines all day.

Nurkolis is 32-years old, and a father of 3. He is the most senior of them all. He left his family and country 7 years ago, and has been working in various construction sites throughout the Peninsular Malaysia since. According to him, job opportunities in Jawa Timur are scarce, and everyone who managed to secure a job are being underpaid. " ngak bisa menabung, bang. kebutuhan makin banyak, uwang makin nyusut. anak juga mau skolah. kalau di Malaysia ni lain bang. bantuannya banyak, diberi subsidi lagi. jadi, rakyatnya selesa"

Hairi Irianto is the driver of the piling rig. He left Indonesia 5 years ago, and throughout the period, he had only seen his 2 children once, when he needed to renew his visa a couple of years ago. Like most of the immigrants from Jawa Timur, the main reason why he left his country is to earn more money. Migrating is not their main option, but it's the only choice they have, he says.

Arief Santoso left his country 5 years ago, when he was at the tender age of 20. His father was a small-time farmer and his mother is a housewife. He and all his 9 siblings have been working to help improve their family's economy since they were young, and all of the siblings dont even have the luxury of graduating high school. He told me he wanted to go back, and help his mother look after his ailing father but he realised his family needs his financial support more than anything now. " buah pinggang bapak saya perlu di-operasi. ke surabaya untuk pemeriksaan pun sudah banyak uwang dibelanja, blum lagi ubatannya bang. jika saya pulang sekarang mana bisa dicari uwang lebih "

Until the completion of the project, this is where they'll be spending the nights. stuffy during the day - from the heat of the sun, but the little window keeps them breezy at night.

They use the television to keep abreast with news from their motherland. Indo tele-series, which are abundant in our local channels, also helps them deal with the longings for folks back in their country; something they can all relate to , says Nurkolis.

They are entitled to 2 free meals daily, provided by their employer but the meals are only for lunch and dinner. In between those, they usually depend on instant noodle to satisfy their huge appetite, which they developed from the rigorous works at the construction site.


The kitchen.

To be able to work on this project, apart from all the other legal papers, they need to sit for a safety test. Indra Susianto is holding a copy of the book they have to revise before they sit for the written exam. All four of them have sat for it, and passed.

Content of the guide book.

The piling work schedule. All of them can read this.

The amount of levy charged upon the immigrants in Malaysia, which is claimed by Nurkolis as heavy. Immigrants must renew their work permit once in every 5 years, and according to them, it need to be done in Putrajaya, where the work permit is issued.

Meal's ready. Very kind of them to offer me some, but i obligingly refuse. They need it more than i do, it seems.


This is their only source of clean water. The water is warm during the day, as the pipes are exposed to the elements but Indra says it does not bother them. They spend most of their day time at the construction site and by the time they got home, the water's all right.

Water needs to be hauled from the source.

The washing area.

Their bathroom. They are thankful enough that it's just outside their container house. At their previous site, morning shower was a dread. The bathroom were minutes away and they had to share it with 15 more workers. All of them needs to be at work by 8 am.

Not far away from them, lives another colony of immigrants. This is the Bangladeshi quarter, where 16 workers are residing. They are working on the same project, but they choose to live among themselves, separated from Nurkolis and his 3 friends. Bunking together with workers from the same country gives them comfort.


their container house. each is shared by 4 workers.

Kitchen.

Food ration is kept here. They have their own cooking roster, where one member of the house is responsible for their meal each day. One will be free of kitchen work for the next 3 days after his turn.

Gulam Khan, Sohail, and Rasul. All three of them came from the same village. The fact that they have each other's back is what keeps them going, says Sohail. He's got great command of English language and if given the chance, he would love to attend language class. I asked him where did he learn his English and he told me he picked it up from his superiors.

Sohag and Fakih, drying their sweat before bath.

Haiya-alal-solah.

Mahmood is setting up small fire to rid the mosquitoes off. They cant afford to keep buying mosquito coil as the area is an open space. It will require a lot to cover the whole area. Mahmood says it is also dangerous to use mosquito coil, as some of them tend to set it up inside the container and that could lead to a fire.

Suhaimi is their supervisor, or mandor as they called him. He will come by every working day, around 6-ish to sign on their working card. Suhaimi also attend to their needs.

Sohag's working card.


Sohail, during his kitchen duty. He was preparing potato curry for dinner.

Rasheed, making up his bed.

Toothpaste and shower gel.

Unlike Nurkolis and his friends, these group need to walk to the other side of the construction area to bath. I wonder what pain they have to go through when they need to use the bathroom at wee hours. But they're taking it easy.

Waiting.

The bathroom, and workers waiting. The small bathroom is shared by 16 people.







After spending a short afternoon with these people, I dont think it's wise to sum it all into words. It will not do them justice. But one thing is for certain; to look down on all these noble people is a disgrace to our own-self. One can only wonder the amount of psychological sufferings these people have to endure just to earn a living. Separated from their family and loved ones, they worked hard all day in a dangerous environment and they live in the most squalid condition, yet they still could muster enough strength to pull a smile on their faces. Courage as thick as that only leave a lot for us to ponder.

*probably shud elaborate more but golly god i am sleepy now. tell me what u think.
cheers, for us! =)