Most countries in the world depend on migrant workers to do the Dirty, Dangerous, and Demanding (3D) jobs in their country. This study will highlight Malaysia and Qatar because both countries depend on migrant workers as a major workforce. Still, the international community criticized the way they treated their migrant workers. This study is important in terms of giving a clear picture and better understanding of the housing condition of migrant workers in Malaysia and Qatar. Does the condition improve or not after the Covid-19 strike? This study aims to analyse the housing condition of migrant workers in Malaysia and Qatar from 2017 until 2022. This article used the qualitative research method. This article was also written based on primary data and document analysis. The primary data for this article was obtained from the field. The researcher conducted semi-structured face-to-face interviews and phone calls with ten migrant workers and five locals in Malaysia. For secondary data, document analysis was done using a series of academic journals, reports, and digital materials. This article indicates that the housing condition of some migrant workers in Malaysia and Qatar did improve after the Covid-19 pandemic. However, some of them still lived in the same condition because of their employers’ ignorance. The issues of migrant workers’ housing cannot be resolved easily without cooperating with stakeholders and taking a long-term comprehensive approach.
Alagaratnam, S., & Quin, C. M. (2021). The Emergency (Employees’ Minimum Standards of Housing, Accommodations and Amenities) (Amendment) Or | Skrine - Advocates & Solicitors. SKRINE. https://www.skrine.com/insights/alerts/march-2021/the-emergency-employees%E2%80%99-minimum-standards-of-house
Amnesty International UK. (2020). Qatar: Migrant Workers in Overcrowded Camps at Grave Risk From COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/qatar-migrant-workers-overcrowded-camps-grave-risk-covid-19
Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), & the International Labour Organization (ILO). (2018). Labor Migration in Asia: Increasing the Development Impact of Migration through Finance and Technology. Retrieved from
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/410791/adbi-labor-migration-asia.pdf
Benjamin Best Productions GmbH. (2019). Migrant Workers in Qatar - Trapped in Slave-Like Conditions as They Work for World Cup 2022. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjgYVHdU0Zo
Hancock, S. (2011). Migrant workers flock to Qatar. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-16052572
Human Rights Watch. (2020). Qatar: Significant Labor and Kafala Reforms. Enforcement Needed, Other Provisions in Effect Still Carry Risk of Abuse. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/24/qatar-significant-labor-and-kafala-reforms
Institute for Human Rights & Business (IHRB). (2020). Accommodating the Spread – Migrant Worker Accommodation Driving COVID Infections (Pt 2). Retrieved from https://www.ihrb.org/focus-areas/migrant-workers/covid19-migrant-workers-accommodation
International Labour Organization (ILO). (2016). Promoting Fair Migration: General Survey Concerning the Migrant Workers Instruments. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/docid/5c77a62b7.html
International Labour Organization. (2022). Home Truths: Access to Adequate Housing for Migrant Workers in The ASEAN Region. Retrieved from
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/documents/publication/wcms_838972.pdf
Kort, A., & Dunn, M. (2021). COVID-19 and the Crisis of Migrant Worker Housing. Michigan Journal of Public Affairs. Retrieved from http://mjpa.umich.edu/2021/03/02/covid-19-and-the-crisis-of-migrant-worker-housing/
Lim, I. (2020). New rules for employees’ minimum housing standards from Sept 1: Employers to comply or be fined RM50,000. Malaymail. Retrieved from
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/08/30/new-rules-for-employees-minimum-housing-standards-from-sept-1-employers-to/1898538
Miguens, A. (2022). Qatar Reinforces Its Airport Infrastructure Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Retrieved from https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/06/qatar-reinforces-its-airport-infrastructure-ahead-of-the-2022-fifa-world-cup/
Mills, A. (2022). Exclusive: Thousands of workers evicted in Qatar's capital ahead of World Cup. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/exclusive-thousands-workers-evicted-qatars-capital-ahead-world-cup-2022-10-28/
New Straits Times. (2021). Migrant Workers' Poor Living Conditions Fuel Southeast Asia's Covid-19 Crisis. NST Online. Retrieved from
https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2021/01/660033/migrant-workers-poor-living-conditions-fuel-southeast-asias-covid-19
New Straits Times. (2022). Malaysia Is 18th Most Peaceful Country in the World. NST Online; New Straits Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/11/846081/malaysia-18th-most-peaceful-country-world.
New Vision. (2017). Qatar Population Booms on Back Of 2022 World Cup. New Vision Official. Retrieved from https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1447639/qatar-population-booms-2022-world-cup
Nguyen, N. (2021). Kafala Labor System Reform and the 2022 World Cup. Retrieved from https://cirs.qatar.georgetown.edu/kafala-labor-system-reform-and-the-2022-world-cup/
Office of The High Commissioner United Nation Human Rights (OHCHR). (2022). International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW). Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-convention-protection-rights-all-migrant-workers
OHCHR. (2022). International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-covenant-economic-social-and-cultural-rights
Open Society Foundations. (2020). Protecting the Right to Housing during the COVID-19 Crisis. Open Society Foundation Briefing Paper. Retrieved from https://www.justiceinitiative.org/publications/protecting-the-right-to-housing-during-the-covid-19-crisis
Riley, M. (2022). Migrant Worker Controversy Behind the Scenes of Qatar’s World Cup. Retrieved from https://www.boundless.com/blog/qatar-world-cup-migrant-workers/#:~:text=Many%20migrant%20workers%20are%20attracted,to%20family%20members%20back%20home.
Robinson, K. (2021). What Is the Kafala System? Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-kafala-system
Shariff, N., Abidin, Z. A., & Abdul Ghani, N. S. (2020). Pull Factors Motivating Migrant Workers: The Case of Hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 31(3), 991–995. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.31309-532
Tham, J. V., & Omar, N. (2020). Covid-19 Lessons: Rethinking Housing Standards for Migrant Workers in Malaysia. The Centre. Retrieved from https://www.centre.my/post/covid-19-lessons-safe-and-humane-housing-for-malaysias-migrant-workers
The Immigration Department of Malaysia. (2015). Expatriate Definition. Immigration Department of Malaysia, Ministry of Home Affairs. Retrieved from https://esd.imi.gov.my/esd/portal/en/home.php#:~:text=Expatriate%20Definition,a%20contract%20or%20temporary%20basis.
United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNCESR). (2020). General Comment No. 14: The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health (Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), E/C.12/2000/4. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/4538838d0.pdf
United Nations. (2022). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights#:~:text=Article%201,in%20a%20spirit%20of%20brotherhood.
Wahab, A. (2020). Migrant Workers and Covid-19 Outbreak in Malaysia. IKMAS Working Paper 3/2020. Retrieved from https://www.ukm.my/ikmas/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IKMAS-WP-3_2020-Andika-Migrant-Workers.pdf
Wahab, A. (2020). The Outbreak of Covid-19 In Malaysia: Pushing Migrant Workers at The Margin. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2(1), 100073. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100073
Watson, S. (2017). Cachexia. Healthline; Healthline Media. Retrieved from
https://www.healthline.com/health/cachexia
World Health Organization (WHO). (1989). Health Principles of Housing. Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/1989/9241561270_eng.pdf
Arif, Z. M. (2022). Workers Found Living in Unsafe Conditions at Simpang Pulai Tile Factory. NST Online; New Straits Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/03/780884/workers-found-living-unsafe-conditions-simpang-pulai-tile-factory-nsttv
