Why are certain areas becoming foreign-dominated enclaves? — LEW GUAN XI/The Star
WALK through areas like Selayang, Chow Kit, Jalan Silang, Bangi or Sungai Buloh, and a curious pattern emerges – entire business blocks visibly operated by foreigners, particularly from Bangladesh, Myanmar (especially the Rohingya), and other South Asian nations. This isn’t a new trend, but its scale and visibility have intensified in recent years.
As a concerned Malaysian, I find myself increasingly troubled by what appears to be an unchecked and growing presence of undocumented or semi-documented immigrants running businesses, renting shop lots, and embedding themselves into the local economy in ways that sometimes bypass our regulatory and legal frameworks.
Many of these foreign nationals seem to have established themselves through relationships or marriages with local Malay women, allegedly to gain access to business licenses or rental agreements that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. While marriages across nationalities are legal and should be respected, the potential misuse of such relationships as a means to bypass immigration, or business laws, should raise red flags.
This phenomenon points to deeper, systemic concerns:
1. Corruption – Are some local authorities or licensing bodies turning a blind eye, or worse, enabling these arrangements in exchange for personal gain?
2. Weak enforcement – Are immigration and municipal enforcement agencies equipped, or even willing, to address these issues fairly and consistently?
To many in the public, the perception is one of mistrust and frustration. People ask: How are these foreigners able to operate so openly? Why are certain areas becoming foreign-dominated enclaves? Is anyone truly in control of the situation?
The humanitarian reality
Even as we question the legality and regulation of foreign migration, we cannot ignore the humanitarian dimension. In March 2024, Human Rights Watch documented how Malaysia’s immigration system violates international human rights standards. Refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented migrants – including children – are often detained in conditions that are overcrowded, unsanitary, and unsafe.
Children are particularly at risk. International law clearly states that the detention of children for immigration purposes is never in their best interests. Yet Malaysia continues to detain them alongside adults, exposing them to harm and long-term psychological trauma.
Our legal system does not adequately differentiate between undocumented migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, leaving all equally vulnerable to arrest and deportation. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to this reality. These are people – many of whom fled war, persecution, and economic hardship in search of safety or survival.
Constitutional implications: Article 160 and national identity
One particularly sensitive dimension is the growing trend of foreign men marrying local Malay women. Under Article 160 of the Federal Constitution, a child born to a Malay mother is considered Malay – and therefore entitled to bumiputra privileges, including those outlined in Article 153.
This raises difficult, long-term questions: Are Malaysians, particularly the Malay majority, prepared to accept that children of foreign-born parents – through marriage – may one day hold high public office, or even become Prime Minister?
This is not a moral issue – many of these children are born and raised in Malaysia, attend our schools, and may identify fully as Malaysians. But it is a sociopolitical issue, especially in a nation where ethnic identity, constitutional entitlements, and political power are closely linked.
Moving forward: Questions that demand answers
Immigration is not just about border control or economics. It is about national identity, governance, law enforcement, and human dignity.
We must ask ourselves:
• Are our immigration and enforcement agencies functioning effectively and without corruption?
• Are we distinguishing between economic migrants, refugees, and trafficking victims – or treating them all the same?
• Can we uphold the integrity of our constitutional provisions without dehumanising those who live among us?
• How can we prepare for inevitable demographic shifts without stirring fear or resentment?
Malaysia is not alone in facing these dilemmas. But the longer we avoid addressing them honestly, the more we risk undermining both our social fabric and our global reputation.
Break the cycle
Immigration is shaping the future of Malaysia – whether we like it or not. The real question is: Will we shape our policies, or will the absence of clear and fair policy shape us?
Until we confront the realities – from corruption and regulatory loopholes to detention conditions and the socio-political implications of mixed-national marriages – we remain caught in a cycle of denial and dysfunction.
I urge that this matter be addressed thoughtfully and compassionately – because whatever labels we assign, we are ultimately dealing with human lives.
Dignity, justice, and fairness should not be privileges, but principles that guide how we govern, protect, and coexist. It will be good if the relevant authorities shed some light on this matter so that the people can understand what is going on.
Senior lawyer Dato Sri Dr Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos is the founder and chairman of Yayasan Rapera, an NGO that promotes community-based learning activities and compassionate thinking among Malaysians. The views expressed here are entirely his own.
