Abstract
This article examines two aspects of migration control in Malaysia. First, it deals with the question of how the securitization of border control is tied to a wider dynamics of national interest. Based on the notions of “security versus facilities,” this article contextualizes how the institutional sites of governance are frustrated by the open-border policy and a liberal visa policy. Second, the paper argues that internal enforcement is a neglected part of the state’s migration control. As a self-proclaimed country of “zero irregular migrants,” Malaysia has relied heavily on external control: militarizing border crossings and criminalizing irregular migrants through raids, detention, and deportation. The study used a hybrid technique of data collection which integrates elite interviews, official publications, and online news media. The paper highlights a pressing need to formulate a critical approach to internal enforcement. A shift to internal control—identification, surveillance, and employer inspections—is crucial in addressing the root causes of migration, though controlling physical borders is still important.
Recommended Citation
Low, Choo Chin and Mokhtar, Khairiah Salwa
(2017)
"Migration Control in Malaysia: Shifting Toward Internal Enforcement,"
Asia-Pacific Social Science Review: Vol. 16:
Iss.
3, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59588/2350-8329.1095
Available at:
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/apssr/vol16/iss3/5
