Overcoming enmity amongst the workers? A critical examination of the MTUC's stance on the migrant worker question in Malaysia

Foreign migrant workers have been an integral part of the Malaysian economy since independence. Yet their position in the Malaysian workforce and in Malaysian society is most precarious. This paper examines public and union reactions to foreign migrant workers. It argues that government policies have resulted in uncertainty for both local and foreign workers and encouraged enmity between them. The paper concludes that Malaysian trade unions must take a more proactive stance on the migrant worker question.