HOME MINISTER’S ACTION LAUDED FOR IMPENDING ACTION ON ILLEGALS!

Being a Consumer Advocate and having worked alongside the Home Ministry over 35 years in addressing security matters and the many challengers and threats that confront us from the huge numbers of documented and undocumented workers and foreigners, I cannot but congratulate current Home Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, for being the first to put a strategic plan along time lines open to audit, which includes a joint inter-ministerial task force.

The plan is a strict departure from previously announced initiatives which at worst, were allegedly still born in view saboteurs!

Manpower is a multi-billion ringgit industry and one should never underestimate the reach and influence of insiders, politicians, political war lords, industry players and predators!

As such, the five key strategies namely:

1. Enforcement Operation Strategy which underlines the implementation plan relating to enforcement operations against Pati nationwide;

2. Legislative and Enforcement Policy Strategy which underlines the implementation plan relating to the drafting of new laws and coordination of policies on the enforcement against Pati;

3. Entry Point and Border Control Strategy, which underlines the implementation plan relating to security control and monitoring activities at the country’s borders and entry points;

4. Foreigners Management Strategy, which underlines the coordination plan of policies relating to foreign nationals; and

5. Media and Publicity Strategy, which underlines the plan relating to media coverage, publicity and awareness programs if professionally and without fear nor favor implemented, can see in my humble view and experience, results in the first 18 months!

For the strategy to work, it is pertinent that a new but experienced team be put in place reporting directly to the Home Minister and a special task force set up comprising of experienced members from the security apparatus, various ministries and the NGO community!

Without this framework in place, this strategy like its many forerunners since the 80’s will see failure!

The Home Minister is correct, that it is time we make the Eco-system, where these illegals live and move be made highly uncomfortable!

Basically it is community effort here,
Simple, serious, direct grassroots response and highly effective!

A strategy that involves the state governments, local authorities, village community management councils and village development, security and housing estate committees!

We can all spot a foreigner and stranger in our community!
And we must do our part!

It is time to get rid of the illegals safe havens and those who provide them insulation!

It is also pertinent to ask why there are still Malaysian employers using illegal foreign labor?

It is well known that these employers face penalties based on our Criminal Procedure Code: heavy fines; possible imprisonment; caning when caught employing more than five illegal workers.

No ordinary employer will sneezed at the penalties but the fact remains staring us in the face, foreigners can still find employment illegally.

The inference is super obvious.

The Home Ministry herself confirms that between Jan 1 and June 4 this year, the Immigration Department had carried out 7,940 operations, during which almost 100,000 foreigners were screened.

That legal action had also been taken against 23,295 Pati, with Indonesian nationals making up the highest number of those arrested at 8,011 (34 percent), followed by Bangladeshis (5,272 or 23 percent) and the remaining comprising those from Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and others.

No small number these.

But we have a saying that for every one offender caught ten get away!

And that is never a joke!

It is obvious that the benefits of cheap labor far outweigh the fear of getting caught, which, in turn, means that enforcement is either far from adequate or officers can be bought off.

Given the reports of corruption in the Immigration Department and other security apparatus structures following the human trafficking scandals recently, this is a serious probability which has to be addressed, not ignored or swept under the carpet!

We must also remember, that even Premier Tun Mahathir Mohamad, had recently remarked both on the sine biotic relationship between corruption and illegals!

The danger facing Malaysia, which includes terrorism, is real, given the danger of our open borders and recent arrests!

All entry and exit points must be plugged because the situation is no longer a benign one of “helping thy neighbor”, the poor from neighboring countries in a simple quid pro quo arrangement!

All law abiding peace loving Malaysians, do pray that the efforts now proposed will address what was previously a labor shortage issue now transformed into one with internal security implications!

And both locals, foreigners and their conduits, whosoever they may be, in the process must be treated as a security risk and action taken immediately!

ARE THEY REALLY GURKHA GUARDS THAT’S ENGAGED IN MALAYSIA?

I am certain that many of us would have wondered about the nationality of the security guards at our housing estates, gated communities and condominiums.

And not all of us are aware that only Nepalese ex-servicemen, those from the Indian Army and Gurkhas were permitted to be security guards in Malaysia?

However the reality today is due to the ‘pawning of licenses’ Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Afghanis are alleged to be masquerading as security guards to further compound an existing security and locus problem!

It was reported last year that more than 150,000 locals and 50,000 ‘Nepalese Gurkhas’ were legitimately employed as guards in the country.

Can I know by what means the approving bodies certified that these 50,000 were indeed “Gurkhas?”

With demands for security guards growing especially those wanting ‘Gurkhas’ – even though it is a fact they no longer exists among the age group currently employed, it is vital that policy directives need to be relooked in view emerging challenges and fraud.

It is therefore time to address an alleged violent abuse and misrepresentation that is currently unattended to despite me raising my concerns behind close doors with past policymakers!

No one denies the importance and contribution of the historic Gurkha guards, in many parts of the world.

They were famous for their exploits in warlike conditions or in environments that require any physical prowess.

They were trained, disciplined and with their physical strength and faithful nature makes them extremely compatible for security jobs globally!

Their loyalty was also unquestionable!

Based on this, many countries within the Commonwealth, post-World War Two offered those positions and citizenship and where they lived now and had their being.

Among the countries still having those from this lineage in active duty though small is in the UK and Singapore!

Based on the past historical facts Malaysia had given a monopoly to Nepal and with it Malaysian security companies were allowed engage them.

But the pertinent question today in view allegations is – are those hired and represented as “Gurkha guards” in Malaysia today, really Gurkha guards?

This question was raised by me in the late 90’s and then again, in 2007 in policy circles!

As a result, twice, I was part of a task force led by then the respective Director Generals of both the then, Internal Security Ministry and the Human Resources ministry to meet the Nepalese Government and the respective stakeholders to assess the ground conditions and facilitate accreditation in the ongoing exercise involving Nepalese security guards!

Even then as we visited the training schools and security companies and witnessed their ‘security drills’, it was already evident, that those arriving as ‘Gurkha guards’ were not one but farmers, lorry drivers, workers and others unskilled with fake certificates.

I remember the then Director General of the Internal Security Ministry telling me during that trip, “George, ada banyak pelakon kat sini!”

On return, we decided that only those whose background was either from the Nepali or Indian Army were to be allowed and strict protocols were planned.

The validation for approvals for applications was the Army’s pension books which were to authenticate their background and credentials!

In recent years, it is a well-known fact that there are no more ‘Gurkha Guards’ in Nepal.

So the pertinent question is what is the background of those we are hiring and the government giving approvals to?

Today, we are told that the costs of the employment process for security guards is nothing lower than RM5000.00 based on political pressure from Katmandu!

The security firms employing them need to provide accommodation, uniforms and all monies for medical, levy and other payments are not deductible!

Their new take home pay is nothing lower than RM1800.00 for 26 days.

The amended tenure of contract from three years is today, two years!

I have absolutely no issues with all these as the architect of the government to government program launched in 2014 for ‘Free Visa Free Ticket’ to cut the middle men, agents and others manipulating the labor industry for both Vietnam and Nepal and several source countries!

But my concern today is the need to revisit the monopoly given to Nepal on the basis and representation that we are hiring “Gurkha guards!”

Today industry and security company sources are stating that the vast majority arriving as “Gurkha guards” are really ordinary Nepalese farmers, workers, lorry drivers and others who have absolutely no security training or background in law and order!

And they carry fake accreditation!

And firms here are helpless to intervene in view of the current policy.

As a former Nepalese IGP told me in Katmandu, in the presence of another serving general – “they are just Nepalese warm bodies masquerading as trained personnel! But it is a dangerous game they are playing. Security is no child’s play!”

Well put!

So why should we allow those unskilled and without security backgrounds to be employed here when what we should be initiating is looking at other options and countries!

In view to this, it is pertinent that a policy review is in need and we need to examine if the time is appropriate to open up this sector to both Indians, especially for those in Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra and certainly, Sri Lanka which was on the drawing board, before inexplicably, disappearing?

MALAYSIA ASEAN APEC LEAD CONSUMERIST PROF DATUK SERI DR JACOB GEORGE SAYS – MALAYSIANS URGED TO DO MORE IN HELPING OUR COUNTER TERRORISTS UNIT IN KEEPING US SAFE!

Sadly, there are many articles in recent weeks in the media, as we marked the 50 years since the terror race riots of May 13, 1969!

It is my humble opinion however, that some things from the past are best left unvisited as we face a far darker, deadly, barbaric and sinister threat to not just our nation and our way of life but all that we have worked so hard for in our unity despite diversity as Malaysians!

And most importantly, it is certainly that time again, for all peace loving and law-abiding Malaysians to once again appreciate the recent success of Malaysia’s Counter Terrorism Division (E8) in detaining four suspected militants!

According to newly minted IGP, Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador, these four, among others still at large, are part of a ‘wolf pack’ Islamic State (IS) state cell who planned to assassinate four VIPs and launch large-scale attacks on non-Muslims houses of worship, as well as entertainment centres in the Klang Valley!

The security apparatus have seized six Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that had been obtained from a neighboring country, along with a CZ9mm pistol and 15 bullets!

Those familiar with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) will know that such a device will cause maximum fatalities and mayhem!

The international flavor of the nationalities of these terrorist detained raises many a question, with one having a UNHCR (the United Nations Refugee Agency) card!

It also confirms the systemic weaknesses in preventing the smuggling of weapons and arms and the movements of terror cells across our fragile borders!

This is a timely reminder to many among us, who are delusional, in denial, or worst, plain rejecters of the presence of international terrorists, sleeper agents, closet terrorists, funders through money laundering activities and their sympathizers here!

There are those who even reject the fact that several of the 911 terrorists were also here in Kuala Lumpur, prior to that attack, which launched the global war on terror, a fact already well documented among security agencies globally!

The sad thing is, when issues and fears are raised in a tabled and constructive manner; we are accused of being carriers of Islam phobia!

Since our elite team on counter terrorism is still tracking down three other members of the terror cell who are still at large, we, members of the Malaysian public must do our best to assist with any information or leads we may have, in the national and public interest!

The following observations are not to bash Muslims!

It is reported that there are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world today.

The fact is not all of them are radicals.

The very large majority of them are kind, peaceful, loving, and caring, God fearing and devotional people!

On the other hand, the radicals are estimated to be between 15% and 25%, according to all intelligence services around the world!

Mathematically it means, we are looking at 180 million to 300 million people, dedicated to the destruction of any civilization or belief who does not pander to their ideology of hate, cold blooded murder and barbarism!

That is as big as the United States of America!

And precisely the reasons why, we which includes those who claim to be moderates, need to assist our security apparatus to keep us safe in detaining or neutralizing these radical 15 to 25%?

Let us not try to be politically correct here by saying the majority of us are peaceful and law abiding leading to a hands off approach!

We must remember that silence, inactivity not taking responsibility is not an option!

Most importantly, data reveals it is the minority radicals that kill, so the majority must act decisively!

It is the radicals that behead, massacre and bomb innocents.

We must also take to heart the lessons of history in this war against terror!

Remember, most Germans are peaceful people but it took the minority Nazis to kill a reported 60 million, 14 million in camps and among them, 6 million Jews, likewise, minority Russians, Chinese, Japanese killing 20, 70 and 12 Million respectively!

There were an estimated 2.3 million Arab Muslims in the USA on September 9th 2011 but it took 19 radicals, to bring the mighty USA to its knees, with a fatality of over 3000 innocent lives!

With these horrific details in mind, it is about time that we Malaysians act decisively to rid the nation of any radicals, their hate and terror dogma in the name of race and religion from our law abiding and peace loving nation, Malaysia!