Illegal immigrants are people who migrate across national borders without complying with legal requirements. In “Illegal immigrants in Malaysia,” (2012), it has been found that in Malaysia, they comprise a portion of the country population, numbering as many as two millions by some estimates. Most of them are from nearby Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Philippines. Hopkins (n.d.) acknowledged that 50 percent of illegal immigrants are people who arrive legally but then overstay their visas. Immigrants who crossed Malaysian borders illegally have contributed to the nation decline in economic, threatens social structure, and causes health problems among Malaysian citizen.
According to Hopkins (n.d.), illegal immigrants who crossed Malaysian borders had caused the economy of Malaysia to decline. These immigrants also increase the number of unemployment in Malaysia as cited by Gogoi (2010). Illegal immigrants tend to take odd jobs, such as working in construction sites and agricultural sectors. On top of that, Hopkins (n.d.) states, they take jobs away from Malaysian citizens by accepting lower wages as compared to what originally received by the citizens. As a result, they caused significant increase in rate of poverty in Malaysia as found by Rector (2006). On top of that, local employers also reduce original wages paid to their legal labours to standardize it with wages paid to illegal labours. Rector (2006) suggests that the increase in rate of poverty among Malaysian citizens lowering their standard of living by cutting down their purchasing power.
Undocumented immigrants who entered Malaysia illegally threatened Malaysian social structure as found by Taylor (2007). Some of them are the most wanted terrorists in their countries. These criminals whore are associated with cases of robbery and rape, the tendency for them to commit same actions in our boundaries is high. Thus, they possess potential threat
References: 1. James Hopkins. (n.d.). Importing poverty. Retrieved 2008, from http://importing- poverty.blogspot.com/ 2. Jameson Taylor. (2007). Illegal immigration: drugs, gangs and crime. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http://www.nccivitas.org/2007/illegal-immigration-drugs-gangs-and-crime/ 3. Bobbi Leder. (2008). The effects of illegal immigration on America. Retrieved November 3, 2008, from http://voices.yahoo.com/the-effects-illegal-immigration-america-2151163.html 4. Nazehan. (2008). The effect of illegal immigrants in Malaysia. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://nazehan.blogspot.com/2008/10/did-you-noticed-about-case-of-illegal.html 5. Illegal immigrants in Malaysia. (2012). Retrieved August 20, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigrants_in_Malaysia 6. Deviga, V., & Karunagaran, M. (2007) Principles of economics. New York: University Press. 7. Elween, L. (2012, September 3). Nine illegal immigrants stranded at sea arrested. The Star, p.10.