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The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many challenges to governments around the world. Leaders have been forced to make decisions that have a great impact on the electorate and often affect the international image of the country.
Initially, the big question was how much emphasis to put on the health and lives of its citizens and how much to focus on protecting their economies.
While many countries made some effort to protect citizens, there was also a desire not to allow the economy to collapse.
Malaysia decided to focus on the health of its citizens and has done an excellent job in controlling the spread of the disease.
In some cases, the actions of the authorities would not have been possible in more developed countries. Locking communities behind barbed wire with armed patrols, for example, would have faced heavy resistance in most Western countries.
Some are even actively opposed to the mandatory wearing of masks in countries where individual freedoms are considered an integral part of their society.
Interestingly, many expats appreciate the restrictions that have been imposed here and consider it a small price to pay for the low Covid-19 numbers.
This may be because expats with employment passes or Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visas tend to be better educated and their international experience has made them more practical in their views. They can see the bigger picture and the need for some sacrifices for the greater good.
However, constant action by the Malaysian authorities is causing concern, and it is the government’s willingness to block the people who have made their home here.
Most expats with employment passes only have one home, and it is in the country where they work. In the case of the MM2H visa, pass holders who accepted the invitation to make Malaysia their home rarely have another place to live.
They tend to be older and many are long-term expats who no longer have close relatives or friends in their home country.
Malaysia’s decision to lock expats out of the country has caused a lot of heartbreak, as you can imagine. I consider it to be an unfortunate decision that is as damaging to Malaysia as it is to the many expatriates who are directly affected by it.
It certainly makes sense to prioritize Malaysian citizens, but why treat these other residents in the same way as occasional tourists?
Given the many other pressing problems, one can almost understand that the government is not overly concerned about a few hundred distressed foreigners.
However, there is another problem, and it is the damage that is being done to Malaysia and its international image. This disparaging treatment of foreigners who have made Malaysia their home sends a message that they are of little value in the eyes of the government.
This can hardly help future efforts to encourage people to join the MM2H program or invest in Malaysia.
The MM2H program contributes billions of ringgit to the economy, so taking steps to lower its contribution does not seem like a wise move, unless there are other factors that are not being shared.
Equally negative for the country is the decision to make it impossible or difficult for expatriates who work to enter the country.
Keeping them out of the country can only cause problems for the companies they work for and slow their recovery, again something best avoided as companies struggle to recover.
Now Malaysia has decided to ban citizens of some 23 countries, regardless of their travel history, based solely on their passport, even if they have permanent residence in Malaysia.
This decision has been the subject of much criticism, both from an economic and humanitarian point of view.
We urge the Malaysian government to reconsider this treatment of the resident expat community, not only to reduce the suffering of people trapped outside the country, but also so that they can continue to contribute to the country’s economic recovery, which will benefit all Malaysians.
Andy Davison is a British citizen who settled in Malaysia under the Malaysia My Second Home program. He is the head of a group of expatriates.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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