Kampung Boy Reflection

Entering into meaningful research on a country that I had to confirm the location of on a map was not easy.  With the Malaysian Airlines plane ruling the headlines it was hard to find current events for the area. The most prevalent topic beyond the missing airplane however, seems to be the economy and how slavery is affecting it right now. Malaysia has some degree of economic freedom, but as the country tries to join the global market of electronic industry, the mistreatment of the labor force is becoming more prevalent.

GVNET.COM has extensive articles about the trafficking of labor from Bangladesh, Burma, and Indonesia. Evidence suggests that a majority of workers enter Malaysia as migrant workers, but eventually become slaves in the industries that are rushing to keep up with global demand. IIPNEWS.NET reported on a man named Ganesh who was beaten and starved to death as a migrant worker. Even the US state department reported on the confiscation of travel documents and abuse dealt out to migrant workers entering Malaysia.

As an American both working and searching for additional work, I find it hard to imagine migrating across dangerous borders to feed my family. I even commonly complain about my thirty-minute lunch break and the fact that my bathroom breaks come sporadically. It is humbling to read reports of those struggling to survive and not just get paid. As Americans (especially ones in college) we commonly consume our daily lives without too much discomfort. I for one have an absurdly busy day, but at no point do I fear destitution, the confiscation of my documents, or the misuse of my labor.

Economically America in no way compares to Malaysia. Therefore understanding the cause of this is difficult for the western world. Malaysia is attempting to boost its economy through exports. America on the other hand imports many of those things. (Ever check your iphone case to see where it was made? I just did. Not Malaysia) Malaysia is attempting to bring economic success through the exportation of high technology and pharmaceuticals. This attempted jump in the world economy is what is causing such a brutal grasp for labor. I imagine it as if Eastern Washington tried to turn itself into Seattle by building massive highways and trying to force everyone to recycle. Even that is hard to imagine and it is much more likely than anyone forcing factory work on the area.

Through all my research it is still almost impossible for my western raised mind to grasps the hardship of human trafficking. I can look through the lenses of Economics, sociology, or philanthropy; but there is a strong chance I will never understand the hardships of Malaysian workers.