The Immigration Dept Wants You To Report Illegal Foreign Workers Using These Hotlines
Hundreds of illegal foreign workers were arrested in a nationwide crackdown.
By Tang Ruxyn — 03 Jul 2017, 12:49 PM
Earlier this year, the government implemented a new policy to introduce the Enforcement Card (E-Card) for illegal foreign workers in Malaysia
Employers were told to register their illegal workers under this programme as a temporary validation for the purpose of legalising the workers. The card was given out for free and the pass will expire on 15 February 2018.
The window for the E-card application was opened from 15 February 2017 until 30 June 2017. Despite the ample time given, the Immigration Department revealed that only 23% of the targeted 600,000 illegal immigrants have applied for the E-Card.
Foreign workers who failed to obtain the E-Card will be detained, deported, and blacklisted. The Immigration Department will also take action against employers who fail to register their foreign workers.
The Immigration Department launched a crackdown on illegal foreign workers, immediately after the 30 June deadline
It was reported that hundreds of illegal workers were arrested across the country as enforcement officers conducted raids in a nationwide crackdown.
A large number of foreign workers - even those who are legally here - fear that they would be caught in the large-scale operation and have been laying low, The Star Online reported.
Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali, reportedly responded in a WhatsApp message saying, "Legal workers do not have to fear anything. Why should they?"
In another effort to nab undocumented workers, hotlines have also been set up for the public to lodge reports on illegal immigrants
The Immigration Department has published a list of telephone numbers on its Facebook page to inform public of the channels available for the use of lodging a complaint or reporting on any illegal foreign worker:
1. Kuala Lumpur: +603-62011954, +603-62011044
2. Shah Alam: +603-55117230
3. Penang: +604-3906170
4. Negeri Sembilan: +606-7624275
5. Johor: +607-2333855
6. Perlis: +604-9762636
7. Kedah: +604-7333302
8. Perak: +605-5017117
9. Melaka: +606-2322562
10. Pahang: +609-5739143
11. Terengganu: +609-6270149
12. Kelantan: +609-7441833
13. Putrajaya: +603-88801294
14. Labuan: +6087-451995, +6087-423297, +6087-421296
15. Sabah: +608-8488853
16. Sarawak: +6082-486504
The report should contain the following information: address or location, time, illegal worker’s nationality, the number of illegal workers, or any additional information.
The complainant should also include his or her full name, MyKAD number, contact number and email in the report.
Do you think this nationwide crackdown is an effective measure in tackling the problem of illegal immigrants? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.