(Information below compiled from UNHCR Fact Sheet, June 2011)
In Malaysia, there are about 93600 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR:
~85800 from Myanmar, 4100 from Sri Lanka, 1100 from Somalia, 730 from Iraq and 490 from Afghanistan.
~18900 refugees are children below the age of 18.
Refugees in Malaysia are scattered throughout the country, living mostly in the Klang Valley. They share living spaces in groups of up to 40 people or more, living in low-cost flats or housing areas side by side with local Malaysian homes in cities and small towns.
There are refugee communities both on Penang island and mainland.
The "refugee" status is not recognized within the Malaysian legal system. Hence:
- They have no access to legal employment;
- They tend to work in jobs that the local population do not wish to take;
- Some employers exploit their dire situation by paying extremely low or no wages at all;
- Despite poor (un)employment, they do not have access to public/subsidized healthcare;
- Their children do not have access to formal education.
Since refugee children are not able to join Malaysian children in formal schools, they rely on education projects run by UNHCR in partnership with NGOs or learning in community-based centres. But only ~1000 children have access to UNHCR education projects, while ~4600 children attend classes in community learning centres.
With some 12000 refugee children of school-going age in Malaysia, that means less than 46% of refugee children (ages 4 - 17) have access to any kind of education! Creating a second generation of illiterate/unskilled community...
Community learning centres are classes started by initiative of the refugee communities themselves with the help of non-refugee groups such as faith-based groups. The scope and reach of these classes are largely restricted by a lack of resources, including qualified teachers. Classes are usually held in rented flats or shop houses, where rooms are converted into classrooms, and are largely overcrowded and lacking in basic teaching facilities.
Each individual learning centre has varying level of needs for assistance, but generally include:
- Funding (eg. teachers' compensation, children's meal & transport, rent & utilities);
- Stationery and teaching-related equipment;
- Skills-building for teachers;
- Volunteers to help with teaching and administration.
Anyone wondering how they may make the lives of refugees (adult & children!) just that little bit better are encouraged to contact either organisations below. Sometimes, its the simple things that matter! ;-)
JUMP (Jaringan Utara Migran dan Pelarian / Norther Network for Migrants & Refugees)
jumppenang@gmail.com or +604 227 3405
or
SUARAM
http://suaram.net/campaign/refugee-desk
suarampg@gmail.com or +604 658 2285
Musing Penang
Growing up in Malaysia, I've got used to using Bahasa Malaysia everytime I speak to a non-Chinese on the street. On quite a few occasions recently, the person I'm speaking to turns out not to understand Bahasa Malaysia. There are certainly increasing numbers of migrants and refugees in the community, but how many of us have actually made friends with them or spoken to them more than "Menu please" or "No thanks, I've already got one at home" (latter spoken in response to a guy trying to sell me a table lamp at Goodall Food Court last night).
Somehow everytime I speak to someone in Bahasa Malaysia and he/she replies in English obviously not understanding Bahasa, I'm always taken by surprise and recover just enough to explain myself in English, but never composing myself quickly enough to ask what country he/she is from. From today onwards, I resolve to at least ask what country he/she is from and offer at minimum friendly acknowledgment or a smile.
How many refugees or even foreign migrants have you been friendly with?
