(Right) The Star report on Nov 2. (Left) This beggar has chosen a touristy spot in Kuala Lumpur. — Filepic
A REPORT in The Star on Nov 2 shows how lucrative begging is in Malaysia – a group of beggars in Gelang Patah, Johor, was reported to be earning RM12,000 a month.
These beggars use various tactics to earn sympathy, including physical disability.
They can be found wherever there is a crowd, such as markets or in front of eateries.
Many of these foreign beggars have no fear of the police as they know that only Immigration officials will apprehend them.
In Klang, Selangor, we see many migrants begging along roads or in the middle of lanes, posing a safety hazard when traffic lights change.
There are also those who sell pickled fruits, flouting traffic laws that prohibit peddling by the roadside.
While laws exist, the authorities do not seem to be removing these beggars and peddlers from our roads.
According to Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, there are close to two million undocumented foreigners in Malaysia.
In major cities, many foreign workers are employed in tailor, furniture and carpet shops. Many are even business owners.
Are there regular checks by the Immigration Department to ensure these foreign workers or business owners possess the necessary permits to operate?
The undocumented foreigners seem to go unregulated.
My suggestion is to have hotline numbers for the Immigration Department and other relevant authorities on signboards at markets, traffic junctions and in city centres.
Let’s work together to eliminate beggars on the street, both local and foreign.
Markets should be safe public spaces. Instead, our people are getting cheated by syndicates exploiting customers at those markets.
Immigration officers and local council enforcement officers should have a visible presence at all morning and night markets.
Every town must have a team of officers who do regular patrols.
It’s also been widely reported that would-be illegal migrants pay their way to get to Malaysia.
If this is common knowledge, why isn’t Immigration securing sea borders along the Strait of Malacca and land borders especially in Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan to deter human traffickers and would-be illegal migrants?
Authorities need to improve inter-agency cooperation and also engage with the rakyat to encourage them to report activities involving public begging and scamming.
BRIAN RAJ
Klang, Selangor
