Deporting illegal migrant workers or undocumented workers is too simplistic a solution for the manner the situation of foreign nationals in Malaysia today. We have to be sensitive to the fact that many are here in Malaysia not merely to upgrade their economic well-being.

In our neighbouring Asean nations such as Indonesia and Burma, we must appreciate the fact that there is political turmoil that have caused many to flee their home countries because they fear for their lives, liberty and well-being.

Refugees in Malaysia must be distinguished from a person who has come in to the country for only economic reasons. There must be a distinction made between economic migrants and refugees, and while the government has given some assurances that there will be, it is not unrealistic to say that many a refugee will still fall victim to the current crackdown .

We, in Malaysia, who claim to be a caring people, cannot just sit back and watch our Malaysian government just proceed with the mass arrests and deportation of 'illegal migrants'. Let us not forget that we may end up sending back those who fled their country right back into the hands of their persecutors.

What is of serious concern is that about half-a-million police and civilian volunteers will are now hunting down hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants. The raiding teams will include more than 200 armed civilians, who will have the power to break down doors in their hunt for the up to 800,000 'illegal migrants' believed to be still in the country.

The fact that the non-police personnel will be armed is of great concern. There must be serious consideration about who should be in these raiding teams, and whether they should even be allowed to carry guns. Even enforcement personnel with guns have been found wanting - what more civilian part-timers.

The fact that members of the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela), an organisation of uniformed part-timers who have some policing powers, will receive cash rewards for each migrant arrested as an economic incentive is also most disturbing. Let us not forget that we are dealing with human beings here, not animals.

Let us call off this massive man-hunt, and continue with normal enforcement exercises done by trained, responsible and mature officers who would not use unnecessary force or abuse their powers. That would be best way of showing all that we do indeed have a caring prime minister and a caring government.