MAY 1 – The last few months have been incredibly difficult. Life has never felt more uncertain. The pandemic has reshaped the way we live in very fundamental ways – we have established a new normal in every aspect of our lives, from how we work, consume, and the way we socialise. In these times, both the best and worst in people has emerged. We have recently seen a rising tide of anger towards migrants and refugees in Malaysia.

This has led to a debate on how we should deal with migrant and informal populations during this crisis. As researchers on migration issues, we strongly believe in our moral obligation to help refugees who have been driven from their homes by war and persecution, as well as migrant workers who do essential “3D” jobs for wages we would never accept for ourselves.