Immigration watch during Raya

PUTRAJAYA: More immigration officers will be deployed at selected entry and exit points to keep an eye out for illegals planning to sneak in and out of the country during the Hari Raya holidays.

Department director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad said it would work closely with the armed forces, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the General Operations Force.

“We have identified several hotspots,” he told reporters after attending the launch of the 55th Merdeka month celebration jointly organised by the Plantation Industry and Commodities Ministry, the National Audit Department and his department.

Among the hotspots identified are entry and exit points in Johor, Selangor and Malacca.

Alias also said that although the second phase of the Home Ministry’s 6P programme had ended, his department was still running an amnesty programme for foreigners who came in legally but had stayed beyond their visa’s limitation.

“This amnesty programme will give foreigners the opportunity to return home without having to face punitive action although they will have to pay a minimum RM300 compound in addition to a RM100 fee for their passes,” he said, adding that since the 6P programme ended in April, 185,000 foreigners had returned to their countries of origin.

He also warned that the department would not be lenient towards employers caught with illegals.