An opposition member of Parliament today urged Home Affairs Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to commence an independent investigation into the Immigration Department for breaching a High Court order and issuing expired work permits to a group of 40 Indian migrant workers.

DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok said in a statement to malaysiakini that the former Director-General, of the Immigration Department showed disrespect to a court order when he took more than four months to issue the work permits and thereafter issued permits that had lapsed.

"The action of the former DG, Aseh Che Mat, who collected a levy of about RM1,300 each from the workers before issuing 13 of them work permits that had already lapsed months before the date of issuance is most shocking and represents an insult to their intelligence.

"What was the purpose of doing that since the foreign workers would not be able to use those permits to enable them to stay in Malaysia and work legally?" said Kok.

Kok said that the manner in which these workers have been treated will deter others from complying with the proper legal procedures when applying for their work permits and further 'encourage' the illegal migrant labour problem.

"I call upon the Home Minister to direct the Immigration department to immediately provide these migrant workers with one-year permits, whereby the one-year duration should begin from the date of issuance," added Kok.

On Dec 6 last year, the High Court ordered the Immigration Department to issue temporary work permits to the workers to enable them to work legally for a construction company, Central Generative Sdn Bhd.

The DG finally issued permits on April 19, but 13 of the permits had lapsed in January and February this year while the rest lapsed last Sunday.

The workers are now seeking leave to commence contempt proceedings against the former DG and four other Immigration Department officers for failing to comply by the order.

Their application was filed at the High Court last Wednesday through counsel Charles Hector and will be heard on July 24.

Meanwhile, malaysiakini was unable to reach the Immigration Department for comment. The officer named in the application has gone on a study leave until the end of the year while Aseh has now been appointed as the Home Affairs ministry's parliamentary-secretary.