Chinese nationals in Malaysia can ‘easily disappear’, says Mahathir amid Putrajaya’s aggressive campaign
Former prime minister reiterates concerns he once voiced over the Forest City project in Johor.
(MalaysiaNow) – Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed concern over the sharp increase in the number of Chinese nationals settling in Malaysia over the past two years, echoing his warnings from years ago about the influx of people from the mainland due to various relaxations by the government.
The former prime minister said the presence of the local Chinese community made it harder for authorities to track down migrants from mainland China, as the foreign nationals could “easily disappear”.
This is not the case with the migration of other nationals who can be easily distinguished from Malaysian society, he said.
Mahathir said this would complicate efforts to ensure that visitors from China did not overstay their welcome.
“That is the reason why there are so many of them because we cannot distinguish the original citizens from the foreigners,” he said in a recent interview with MalaysiaNow.
