MUHYIDDIN JOINS IMMIGRATION OP IN PETALING STREET
300 foreign nationals checked, 170 arrested
ATOTAL of 170 illegal immigrants were arrested in an operation conducted by the Immigration Department in Petaling Street here yesterday. The operation, which began at 4pm, saw the department inspecting 300 foreign nationals.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was present during the operation, said the detained foreigners had breached immigration regulations, such as not obtaining valid work permits and for overstaying.
“The operation is part of our efforts to tackle the problem of illegal immigrants for the sake of the country’s peace, security and sovereignty.”
This marks the first time that Muhyiddin has participated in an operation with the department since assuming the role of home minister.
Present was Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali.
THE Immigration Department is ready to turn on the heat on illegal foreign workers via a nationwide operation named Op Mega 3.0, once the government’s rehiring programme ends on June 30.
Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said time had been given to employers to register and obtain valid work permits for their illegal foreign workers under the rehiring programme.
“There are 83,919 employers who registered and rehired 744,942 illegal foreign workers under this programme.
“The government agreed to extend the screening process until June 30 for those who have registered. Out of the 744,942 illegal immigrants, 307,557 are qualified to be rehired.
“But, 108,234 others were rejected on various grounds and would be deported.
“The remainder (329,151) are those who have registered with the rehiring programme, but have yet to provide their biometric information.”
He urged this group not to wait until the last minute to do so as they would have to undergo health screening processes. Implemented on Feb 16, 2016, the rehiring programme provides illegal foreign workers with valid work permits to fulfil labour requirements for certain sectors, including manufacturing, construction, plantation, agriculture and services. Mustafar said foreign workers who failed to secure work permits under the programme were placed under the 3+1 programme, in which they would be given a grace period of until Aug 30 to leave Malaysia.
From 2014 until Thursday, he said, the department had arrested 213,709 illegal immigrants and 4,540 employers who hired them.
“Of these figures, we brought 19,328 illegal immigrants and 659 employers to court,” he said, warning employers of heavy penalties should they continue to have illegal workers on their payroll.
He said anyone who harboured, hired and allowed illegal immigrants to stay in their premises faced a maximum fine of RM50,000, five years’ jail and up to six strokes of the rotan.
There are 83,919 employers who registered and rehired 744,942 illegal foreign workers under this programme. DATUK SERI MUSTAFAR ALI Immigration directorgeneral