Immigration counters open on weekends for amnesty programme

PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department counters nationwide will remain open on weekends to cater for the last-minute surge of illegal immigrants who are expected to surrender themselves under the 3+1 amnesty programme, which ends this month.

Immigration director- general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said this is the last chance for them to surrender and return to their home countries.

Starting Aug 31, large-scale operations will be conducted, he warned, adding that there will be no extension to the deadline.

Mustafar said under the 3+1 amnesty programme, illegal immigrants are required to pay a RM300 fine and RM100 for a special pass that would allow them to go back to their respective countries.

“They bear the transportation cost to go back. If they cannot afford it, then their respective embassies or family members must cover the cost.

“Since the start of the amnesty programme in 2014 to Aug 1 this year, over 840,000 illegal immigrants have been expatriated while RM400mil in compounds have been collected,” he said.

Mustafar said Immigration is not waiting for Aug 31 to begin its crackdown.

Ops Mega 3.0, which started on July 1, has seen 5,444 illegal immigrants arrested so far.

“We have conducted 1,785 operations and checked 20,850 people and also detained 135 employers.

“For this year, we have conducted 8,694 operations in total, with 108,000 people checked. A total of 26,200 illegal immigrants and 700 employers were detained,” he said.

Mustafar said ample time and opportunity were given to the illegal foreigners to legalise their stay in Malaysia through the 3+1 amnesty programme as well as the rehiring programme that concluded on June 30.

Meanwhile, on criticism over the department’s enforcement efforts against the illegals, Mustafar said his officers and personnel were only carrying out their duty.

“What many don’t understand is that a large number of these illegal immigrants here are involved in illegal activities, like prostitution.

“For instance, on Friday night, we raided three night clubs and arrested 238 people involved in vice activities, and 232 of them were illegal immigrants,” he said.