Home Ministry devising holistic enforcement plan against illegal immigrants

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry is in the midst of formulating a holistic enforcement plan against illegal immigrants as a more comprehensive effort towards strengthening governance and improving the existing enforcement operation system.

Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the plan was aimed at addressing the influx of illegal immigrants in the country and would involve a strategic cooperation between many relevant ministries and agencies.

It will also involve the roles of the state governments, local authorities, village community management councils and village development and security committees.

“The objective of the plan is to create an uncomfortable ecosystem for the PATI to continue living their lives here by empowering the enforcement agencies and regulatory authorities as well as by enhancing strategic cooperation and public awareness,” he said in a statement.

The minister explained that the plan would be implemented in five years and would focus on five strategies.

The five areas, he said, encompassed enforcement operations, strategic policy and legal strategies, border control, management of immigrants as well as media and publicity.

Muhyiddin said the strategies underscored in the holistic plan are based on focus areas matched with the roles of the agencies involved.

“These were developed to deliver a significant impact on improving the image of public service delivery, especially when it comes to enforcement matters.

“The Home Ministry, via the Immigration Department and cooperation of other enforcement agencies, including the police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), will continue to conduct enforcement operations at locations deemed as hotspots for illegal immigrants,” he said.

He said from Jan 1 to June 4, a total of 7,940 operations were carried out, which saw almost 100,000 immigrants inspected.

Muhyiddin said 23,295 illegal immigrants have been subjected to legal action. From the total, Indonesians formed the majority of those arrested at 8,011 people (34 per cent); followed by Bangladeshis comprising 5,272 people (23 per cent); with the rest being Myanmar, Filipinos, Thais and others.

“Within the five-month period (Jan 1 to June 1, 2019) a total of 26,116 illegal immigrants were deported to their respective home countries.

“In the same period, 605 employers were subjected to legal action under the Immigration Act 1959/63,” he said. –BERNAMA