Malaysia is a multiracial and multicultural country – but for years, many Malaysian Indians have struggled with racism, especially when finding housing. Even with a solid credit history and reputable track record of exercising proper hygiene and cleanliness, many Indians have been rejected by landlords and agents solely because of their ethnicity.
Denied As A Tenant
This discrimination issue was recently brought back into the spotlight by a Twitter user who shared her experience of being rejected over 300 times when trying to find a place to rent. The woman, D, wrote, “As of today, I contacted about 300 agents and landlords who denied me simply because I’m Indian. I’m not religious. Every person who rejected my request despite me having good credit score and reputation for hygiene, was unfortunately, a Malaysian Chinese.”
She also urged other Indians to share their experience of being denied housing due to their race. One user shared that her uncle, a doctor, was rejected by at least 20 houses because of his race despite having a doctor status. Another Malaysian Indian said she had to move three times in the last three years because she had issues with housing because of her race. One user even said the search for housing as an Indian was so difficult that it motivated him to buy instead of rent.
Landlord’s Prior Experience
As many Indians shared their experience of being denied housing because of their race, many netizens also shared the landlord’s perspective. Many believe that the constant rejections were caused by prior experiences of renting to Indians. One user said after her aunt rented a homestay out to an Indian family, the guest left the place a mess, with beer cans all over the place and leftover cake smeared all over the wall.
Many others have shared similar experiences, but in summary, the rejections are due to stereotyping an entire race due to prior bad experiences. While this doesn’t justify rejecting Indian tenants, many say landlords are trying to protect themselves and their property from potentially bad tenants by rejecting the entire race.
Internal Racism
However, the tweet also raised the issue of internal racism, as many shared instances where even Indians are reluctant to rent their homes to fellow Indians. One user, who is half Indian, detailed her experience, saying that her Indian tenants were good in the beginning but, when they were moving out, had stolen all of the furniture. She added that the experience caused her Indian mother to feel reluctant to rent to Indian families.
How To Ensure Equal Housing Rights?
The thread presented all perspectives on the issue, but the main problem is that many Malaysian Indians are still struggling with finding a place to live without having to deal with racism. While Malaysia has several laws to protect interracial harmony and policies on ethnic integration, there are no laws specifically on housing. This problem needs to be addressed by Malaysians, starting with respecting the Indian community, treating them with dignity and not letting stereotypes be the reason for discrimination. Malaysians should also downright reject any form of racial discrimination and instead, foster a society that embraces inclusivity and harmony.
Hopefully, through our collective efforts, every Malaysian can enjoy equal housing rights and live in a mutually respectful society.
Source: Twitter
