The government can be complimented on its decision to suspend the crackdown on undocumented migrant workers in the country in light of recent developments relating to the tsunami crisis.

Reports in the newspapers have stated that approximately half a million enforcement officers are being mobilised for the said crackdown involving high financial costs. The expenditure of hard-earned taxpayers' money could be better utilised to achieve the ends sought.

The crackdown should be used only as a last resort once all other avenues have been exhausted. One of the most viable solutions would be to re-register, or legalise all undocumented workers still in Malaysia to allow them pursue gainful employment. Malaysia will be the biggest winner as we are the ones most in need of the services provided by these individuals.

The authorities have said that their current legalising process would involve the undocumented workers leaving the country and then returning here to re-apply for work. The only winners therefore would be the airlines and the employment agents involved in moving these migrants back home and then back again. Each undocumented worker could be paying up to RM7,000 for the whole process.

The authorities appear to be quite thoughtful in waiving first month levy charges on those re-entering the country. But this concession may not be as helpful relative to the actual cost involved in the whole process bearing in mind that most of the migrant workers are very poor.

Would the relevant authorities kindly inform us as to the reason why the re-registration and legalisation process cannot be done here in Malaysia? This would be a very cost-effective method in dealing with the problem. Undocumented workers should be allowed to present themselves at designated places to have their documents processed and legalised before returning to work.

This, instead of employing people to hunt them down and bearing the cost of their stay in prisons and detention centres.

The amnesty has been welcomed and utilised by many. However, the government has failed to take into account the reasons why some undocumented migrant workers have failed to leave. This could be, for instance, because there are many with pending court cases involving unpaid wages.

Many simply have been unable to raise the money necessary to purchase the expensive airline tickets back home. The latter group consists mainly of those from faraway countries like India, Bangladesh and China. Refugee communities like the Rohingyas, Acehnese and Chin, meanwhile, have no homes to go back to and almost certainly will be very vulnerable during the implementation of the crackdown.

Local legalisation and re-registration will also meet the needs of local business communities who depend heavily on the migrant labor force. With the import of labour currently frozen indefinitely, local businesses will now suffer, as will the public, when it comes to farm produce and the like. The consequences of removing approximately 800,000 migrant workers from the country within such a short time may have serious implications.

Further, the issue of how these many migrant workers came to be undocumented needs to be addressed. Migrants from countries like India, Bangladesh and Nepal arrive in Malaysia through airports, and almost always with their documentation in order to enable entry.

It is in this country that they become undocumented. Employers have the responsibility of renewing their work permits but are failing to do so. Prior to and during crackdowns, the question of how workers become undocumented or 'illegal' is not addressed.

Malaysia will continue to bring in migrant workers because we simply cannot do without them. The whole problem of 'illegal' workers will reoccur again if the actual processes are not examined. The government should make every attempt to clear this recurring problem once and for all.

The proposed and latest crackdown may not be the solution just yet.