Why do they hate us, says harassed chief of refugee NGO
PETALING JAYA: The leader of a local NGO says she has faced a barrage of hateful comments on social media after she shed light on the plight of refugees and migrants.
One Facebook user went as far as telling her to kill herself, said Heidy Quah, the founder of Refuge for the Refugees, in an online posting expressing deep disappointment over the harassment.
Quah said she was perplexed by the degree of hatred some Malaysians held against refugees and migrants. She said the level of hate comments has spiked of late, particularly during the movement control order period.
“I’ve been working in this field for nearly 10 years. I’ve received some criticism, but nothing as extreme as this. People have been filling up my inbox sending all sorts of hate comments, and not just insulting my thoughts and opinions.
“It’s okay if you want to disengage, but don’t come to a point of threatening my safety. Don’t come to a point of attacking my family and race,” said Quah, who was also called names such as “pendatang” (immigrant) and “pengkhianat negara” (traitor to the country).
“I’m trying to understand why some people feel that it is such a threat when I speak up about what’s happening in the centres,” she told FMT.
Others in the field were also receiving similarly hateful comments. She said she plans to lodge a report with the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
In her initial Facebook post, Quah described her experience in working with a woman who had been detained at an immigration detention depot right after giving birth to a child.
She shed light on the poor conditions and amenities at the centre. She said the women lacked sanitary pads and food, and she was asked to get milk and diapers for the woman’s baby.
The posting gathered mixed reactions, with some in support of the migrants and some in condemnation.
However, one user said: “Go hang yourself!”
“The tone of the conversation has shifted quite a bit. People used to not be so extreme,” she said.
Quah pleaded to Malaysians to view the refugee and migrant community as fellow humans and to get to know them as individuals.
She said many of them fled their countries simply because it was a life or death situation while falling victim to scams and human trafficking syndicates.
“I’m quite surprised that people are under the impression that it’s much better for them here when it’s not. They still live in fear of their safety.
“We are really privileged to not be born under the same circumstances as them, but what if we were? How would we want to be treated and addressed then?” she asked.
She urged government leaders to consider the contributions of migrants and refugees towards building the nation, particularly by those working in hard labour.
She urged Putrajaya to learn how to utilise these resources and build on their strength, adding that a chunk of the economy was realistically dependent on these communities.
“The more we regulate things and have laws in place, when it’s less of a grey area, everyone contributes more effectively to the system,” she said
NGO Refuge for the Refugees director Heidy Quah, ignore the cyber bullies.
In fact, our education system had created a lot of bullies as most of them had been sent to residential schools at a very young age and they lack parental guidance.
That is the generation we have today - a generation of bullies.
Yes, do not be afraid, continue to highlight and defend the vulnerable. The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government cannot accept their own weaknesses and wrongdoings.
As Malaysians, we have failed to uphold the rights of all, regardless whether they are citizens or non-citizens.
Lately, racial sentiments have increased, all due to these irresponsible politicians who seem to institutionalise these actions.
Remember Malaysia, this is a multiracial and multireligious country. We are equal in the eyes of God, regardless of religion. We either swim together or sink together.
To those immigration officers who are so inhumane, remember what goes around comes around, you may one day face such a situation.
Keep up with the fight, Quah. These Malaysian are hypocrites. Just because some migrants had created problems, it doesn’t mean all of them are troublemakers.
I can’t understand why do you love these refugees so much? Do you know that many Malaysians are struggling on a daily basis to feed themselves? Do you know that many Orang Asli are basically abandoned to face their fate themselves?
Where do you get the funds to run these NGOs? Nobody is so kind in this world if nothing is profiting them. So, what is your profit in helping these refugees?
GodOfWar , what about NGOs that help Malaysians who are struggling? What are they profiting from?
It is fair if you want to discuss what our government or society's policy towards refugee are, but don't go on a personal attack that adds no value to the discussion.
Detention camps are intended to be temporary transit centres, not luxury hotels. Even developed nations provide basic accommodations and necessities.
Those who stayed longer are refugees who refused to go back to where they came from but prefer to wait for developed nations to accept them, which is getting less likely over the years.
Local NGOs should not try to make Malaysia appear is if we are not compassionate or treat these detainees cruelly. If the NGOs are concerned, then arrange to deliver at their own expense whatever necessities to the refugees.
Bear in mind that Malaysia does not get much assistance from the rest of the world. Yes, some may have been in the camps for years, but what can we do?
Unfortunately, a huge segment of our population actually do not subscribe to human rights and fair play.
A fine example is the Campaig.n against the ratification of Icerd (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), but they will make a lot of noises about the Palestinian cause which smacks of hypocrisy.
If an Asian were to be killed because of racial discrimination anywhere in the world, there wouldnt be any movement whatsoever. When a George Floyd, regardless of whether he is a criminal or not, as long as he is black in colour, the whole world goes crazy and overact and become apologetic. Where is the fairness in these world? Is it only black life that matters?
When Asian being killed by the blacks and rhe whites, it dont matter? Some will ask wheres the proof? It is sad that when an asian are being killed, beaten up or bullied by both the blacks and whites in the western countries during this pandemic, there is not even a single movement that said Asian lives matters! We never get air time. Dont get carried away with this movement.
When a criminal hides behind a race everytime a crime is committed, they are being racial. There are many asian who are not even harming nobody, walking down the street minding his/her own business, but are targetted by race and hate crime. These are the ones that need the world to stand up for. Where are they??
All Malaysians of all races, yes, even marginalized Muslims and Malays, are victims of instituted racism. Because ONLy the elites and powerful benefiting.
There are 2 different category ,,one is a citizen of the country while the other is not even an legal immigrant..they enter the country by illegal mean..very dangerous ..
Errr, no they are not. George Floyd was a citizen of America. The illegals here are not citizens of Malaysia. There is a difference. But that said, the illegals deserve to be treated humanely.
Just ignore those cyber bullies. In fact our education system had created a lot of bullies as most of them had been sent to Residential schools at a very young age and they lack parental guidance. Many had turned to bullying as they were frustrated staying in a hostel environment. That is the generation we see today. A generation of bullies. Don't give up doing good guys, GOD will certainly bless you.
A sad day for human rights in Malaysia when race politics seems to permeate our last vestige of human decency. Quah has merely exposed a raw and very inconvenient truth. Come on Malaysia, we are better than this!
Detention camps are intended to be temporary transit centers not luxury hotels.Even developed nations now provide basic accommodations and necessities.Those who stayed longer are refugees who refused to go back to where they came from but prefer to wait for developed nations to accept them which is getting less likely over the years. Local NGOs should not try to make Malaysia appear is if we are not compassionate or treat these detainees cruelly.If the NGO is concerned then arrange to deliver at their own expense whatever necessities to the refugees. Bear in mind that Malaysia does not get much assistance from the rest of the world.Yes some may have been in the camps for years but what can we do?
The racial sentiments against non Malays in Malaysia has gone to the point of no return. Few weeks ago they harrassed and threatened the lives of two Selangor DAP state assembly women in social media. The PN government will just ignore this phonomena as they were ones who brought this anti non malay sentiments in the country.
All true. The detention camp is like a country of its own laws.if you want to sent some water or food to anyone detain you cannot buy from supermarket you must buy it from the store which is 5 times more than the supermarket. So many others which needed to be check. But then who is doing the checking
This is the stark reality in Malaysia 1) Working hard as Malaysians to earn a living, able to hold a job and experience some financial pleasures of your hard work 2) Using common sense, analytical thinking, in-calculating education, science and experience in your way of thinking 3) Helping the forgotten segment of Malaysian society or this case trying to improve Human Rights and dignity like in this case as with Refuge for the Refugees director Heidy Quah. These days here in Malaysia, Malaysians who indulge in any one of the above activities are frowned upon, ridiculed, austerised hated, marginalized and looked down as greedy. The fact of the matter Malaysians today feel that "easy money, less work" is their right. Anyone working hard for their income and has money in their pockets are deemed racist and greedy. No one cares about professional and educated opinions. Common sense is dead and that has made way to the rise of keyboard warriors. The Malaysian community spirit of the 60s, 70s, & 80's are dying and is making way for "Me Only Society". The society today asks "what can everyone do for me" and not what can we do for the society.
When an innocent fellow human is in dire needs for help eventhough a foreigner, we must be compassionate and humane about it. Not those foreign illegal inmigrants running around abusing our corrupt system and complict in the many illegal activities which messed up and harm the country.
NGOs trying to help refugees should not be threatened. Those who do so have no humanity left in them. If authorities can’t feed them don’t capitalise on their sufferings by selling necessities with indecent price Tags. I have heard of this too because I too have been told by refugees themselves. For those who can’t help please don’t make things worse by adding your unwelcome remarks or threats. What goes around will come around. Those who have should help those who don’t have. You think they want to become refugees if they have not been persecuted at home?
Do be afraid, continue to highlight & defend the vulnerable. This useless PN government cannot accept their own weakness & wrongdoings.
As Malaysians we have failed to uphold the rights of all, regardless of citizens or non citizens. Lately the racial sentiments have increased, all due to these irresponsible politicians who seem to Institutionalise these actions.
Remember Malaysia, this is a multi racial & religious country. We are equal in the eyes of God, regardless of religion. We either swim together or sink together.
To those immigration officers who are so in humane, remember what goes around comes around, you may one day face such a situation.
Like someone said, there is anger towards the immigrants, who take advantage of our useless corrupted government and the equally corrupted immigration and other government departments to come here to make money. They come here as economic immigrants, they know who, what, how and where to grease the palms. They set up businesses, and do they pay taxes etc?
From illegal immigrants who run house cleaning services, gardening services, total new full house, shop construction, mind you not even renovation, etc etc etc (the list goes on and on....). We, the citizens are equally at fault for depending on them. Yes. Our anger rightly is towards the government and the government departments whom we are impotent against. But WHY did these illegal immigrants come? They will continue coming if we even appear as slightly welcoming. What about our marginalized poor communities of Orang Asal, the poorer other races of Malaysia ??
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Jason85
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Posted by Jason85 > 2020-06-15 22:47 | Report Abuse
Is Ageson link so much with Government?