Know what’s worse than exploitation of workers? Buying and selling human beings like they were cattle.

Last year I wrote a post that referred to a Newsweek article that highlighted the dismal treatment of foreign workers in Malaysia. Alas, I don’t think the situation has improved very much in the past year.

Indeed, in the last month, there was a lot of discussion about Malaysia being a transit for human trafficking. Incidentally, there was an article in the News Straits Times on the subject today. That’s quite sad, don’t you think?

Well, according to an article in the Star online today, our bright and still-shining new Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, said a special committee may be set up to curb human trafficking, but the reports that Malaysia is used as a transitory point need to be confirmed first. Fair enough.

But he went on and said, “if this claim comes from certain countries, we will get in touch with them for an official confirmation because this involves the good name of our country.” I’m sorry, YB, that didn’t sound quite right. Yes, I agree that the “good name” of our country is important, but don’t you think that human lives are more important than that?

Whatever it is, I sure hope that this is not just lip service that will be swept under the carpet once the issue blows over. Ignore it and it will go away, right? Fortunately, or unfortunately, the truth is rather prevalent.

Gandhi once said that, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” No doubt, my animal-loving friends will agree with him. Indeed, I have shared this quote with friends from SPCA and they enthusiastically agreed.

Apart from humane treatment of animals, I believe one of the points made by that very wise man was that we can judge ourselves by how we treat others that are less fortunate than ourselves, especially those who cannot fend for themselves.

On that note, I am sad to share this May Day message with my fellow Malaysians. I just read the April 21-28, 2008 copy of Newsweek magazine, which had an article entitled “Lured Into Bondage”. When I first saw the heading “The New Wage Slaves” on the cover of the magazine, I thought it was referring to some other lesser developed country. Alas, to my dismay, the article is actually on Malaysia. Please do check out the link above.
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I just started reading a new book (one of many!). I’m halfway through the preface only, and I already find it intriguing.

By the way, this is a true account of the author’s career as an economic hit man. In his own words:

“Economic hit men (EHMs) are highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel money from the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign “aid” organizations into the coffers of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control the planet’s natural resources. Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder. They play a game as old as empire, but one that has taken on new terrifying dimensions during this time of globalization.
I should know; I was an EHM.”
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Here are a couple of prayers that I feel are quite timely for humanity.

The first one was apparently recited by a pastor in Kansas state, at the opening session of their senate:

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good’, but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!”

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