Khalid urged to drop flawed policies
Published: Mar 28, 2008 11:57 AM | Updated: Mar 28, 2008 12:00 PM
Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s recent statements on the ‘zero squatters policy’ and the possibility of imposing additional levy on foreign workers have continued to draw more flak.
Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim’s recent statements on the ‘zero squatters policy’ and the possibility of imposing additional levy on foreign workers have continued to draw more flak.
The latest to join in the fray was the Bar Council, the legal professional body which represents some 13,000 lawyers in the country.
Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, in a two-page statement this evening, said the council was deeply concerned on Khalid’s remark that the latter will continue his predecessor Mohd Khir Toyo’s policy to eradicate all squatter settlements in the state.
Ambiga said the policy was “flawed” and described it as an “unmitigated disaster” from the high-handed manner on how the forced evictions were carried out previously.
“The inhumane treatment and the failure to address the basic housing needs of the poor and marginalised is of great concern.
“Rather than support such a policy, the state government should abandon it and make an open declaration that they will desist from using the draconian Essential (Clearance of Squatters) Regulations promulgated under the Emergency Ordinance,” she urged in the statement.
Ambiga noted that the state government should adopt negotiations and willingness to give the urban settlers affordable and decent alternative housing.
“Human rights norms decry forced evictions. They demand instead that no one should be left homeless or vulnerable to human rights violations. It is the responsibility of the state to ensure proper resettlement in such circumstances.”
In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini earlier this week, Khalid said the new state government will not scrap the ‘zero squatters’ policy initiated by the previous government but vowed to carry out the policy “as humanely as possible”.
The announcement came as much surprise and drew criticism from various quarters as Khalid’s party, PKR, was at the forefront of efforts to uphold the rights of, among others, the Kampung Berembang settlement in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Avoid ‘xenophobic responses’
On the move to impose an additional levy of RM9 on foreign workers, Ambiga said the council was “disturbed” with such a move as the levy would almost certainly be transferred to the workers by their employer.
In the same interview with Malaysiakini, Khalid has said his government will seek to realise a system where companies that hire foreign workers will be ‘taxed’ RM9 per worker per month.
He explained that the policy, if carried out, will collect funds that can be used to conduct skills training programmes for the state’s youth and contribute towards decreasing the dependence on foreign labour.
The menteri besar argued the less dependence on foreign labour will also mean “less crime, less social problems”, which Ambiga begged to differ and called it a “wrongly held view”.
“Statistics show that foreigners only account for two percent of the crimes committed in the country, and while no one will discount that we have our share of social problems, it is unfair to lay the blame for them solely on foreign workers.
“Xenophobic responses such as these must be avoided,” she added.
Ambiga told the new state government that its focus should be on how to ensure the workers receive fair treatment and equal access to justice instead.
The latest to join in the fray was the Bar Council, the legal professional body which represents some 13,000 lawyers in the country.
Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, in a two-page statement this evening, said the council was deeply concerned on Khalid’s remark that the latter will continue his predecessor Mohd Khir Toyo’s policy to eradicate all squatter settlements in the state.Ambiga said the policy was “flawed” and described it as an “unmitigated disaster” from the high-handed manner on how the forced evictions were carried out previously.
“The inhumane treatment and the failure to address the basic housing needs of the poor and marginalised is of great concern.
“Rather than support such a policy, the state government should abandon it and make an open declaration that they will desist from using the draconian Essential (Clearance of Squatters) Regulations promulgated under the Emergency Ordinance,” she urged in the statement.
Ambiga noted that the state government should adopt negotiations and willingness to give the urban settlers affordable and decent alternative housing.
“Human rights norms decry forced evictions. They demand instead that no one should be left homeless or vulnerable to human rights violations. It is the responsibility of the state to ensure proper resettlement in such circumstances.”
In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini earlier this week, Khalid said the new state government will not scrap the ‘zero squatters’ policy initiated by the previous government but vowed to carry out the policy “as humanely as possible”.
The announcement came as much surprise and drew criticism from various quarters as Khalid’s party, PKR, was at the forefront of efforts to uphold the rights of, among others, the Kampung Berembang settlement in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Avoid ‘xenophobic responses’
On the move to impose an additional levy of RM9 on foreign workers, Ambiga said the council was “disturbed” with such a move as the levy would almost certainly be transferred to the workers by their employer.
In the same interview with Malaysiakini, Khalid has said his government will seek to realise a system where companies that hire foreign workers will be ‘taxed’ RM9 per worker per month.He explained that the policy, if carried out, will collect funds that can be used to conduct skills training programmes for the state’s youth and contribute towards decreasing the dependence on foreign labour.
The menteri besar argued the less dependence on foreign labour will also mean “less crime, less social problems”, which Ambiga begged to differ and called it a “wrongly held view”.
“Statistics show that foreigners only account for two percent of the crimes committed in the country, and while no one will discount that we have our share of social problems, it is unfair to lay the blame for them solely on foreign workers.
“Xenophobic responses such as these must be avoided,” she added.
Ambiga told the new state government that its focus should be on how to ensure the workers receive fair treatment and equal access to justice instead.
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