The Evil Spirits

Abstract

In this Malaysian free-zone, there were three Japanese electronics companies. Most of their work consisted of assembling small components — small enough for the workers to have to use microscopes to perform their tasks. All were women because, as it said in an advertising brochure for the free-zone, ‘Her hands are small and she works fast with extreme care. Who, therefore, could be better qualified by nature and inheritance to contribute to the efficiency of a bench assembly production line than the oriental girl?’ The fact that the young women were first-generation industrial workers and had been brought up by their rural families to be compliant and deferent was also an advantage. Furthermore, they could be paid much lower wages than male workers. It was also good that they had poor education because, as a chief engineer put it: ‘The highly educated person is very difficult to control.’ Finally, the women ought not be married because that could distract them from their work.