347 Employers Compounded Nearly RM6 Mln For Hiring Illegal Immigrants

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Bernama) -- A total of 347 employers were compounded RM5,977,500 in the first two months of this year after being found to have hired and harboured illegal immigrants, said Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban.

He said the firm action was part of the department’s ongoing efforts to address employers’ non-compliance so that they would no longer take lightly the need to comply with the country’s laws.

“Our enforcement will focus more on employers because as long as action is not taken against them, foreigners will feel it is easy to work illegally in our country.

“If all employers act responsibly and do not hire illegal foreign workers, I believe the pull factor for foreigners to enter the country illegally will be reduced,” he told a press conference after an integrated operation at an iron factory in Balakong, Cheras, near here this afternoon. 

Zakaria said that last year, 1,939 employers were compounded, with the total amount reaching RM36,646,000.

On the integrated operation with the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) and the Department of Environment in Balakong and Shah Alam today, he said 162 foreigners were inspected, of whom 133 were detained for various immigration offences.

He said the offences detected included failing to possess travel documents, overstaying, and misuse of passes.

According to him, those detained comprised 131 men and two women aged between 20 and 45.

“The total involved 11 Indonesians, 65 Bangladeshis, four Indians, 17 Myanmar nationals, 15 Nepalese, 18 Pakistanis, two Chinese nationals and one Vietnamese,” he said.

In the same operation, JKDM also seized several boxes of uncustomed alcoholic beverages and cigarettes believed to belong to the detained foreigners.

All the foreigners involved are being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Passport Act 1966, the Immigration Regulations 1963, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

-- BERNAMA