Gov't to end amnesty for illegal workers on July 31

comments     Published     Updated

Malaysia has announced it will end an amnesty period for some 600,000 illegal workers on July 31, after which those remaining here will face harsh new punishments including whipping.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said changes to Malaysia's immigration law for illegal workers and their employers would take effect on August 1, the official Bernama news agency reported late Monday.

The amnesty period, which has been in place since March 21, enables illegal immigrants, who are mainly Indonesian, to return home without being prosecuted.

"After the date of implementation, enforcement will be carried out and any appeal on the matter will not be entertained," said Abdullah, who is also home minister.

Under the new law, anyone found guilty of illegal entry or harbouring illegal immigrants would face a mandatory six months in jail and/or up to six strokes of the cane.

Currently, offenders face up to five years' jail or a fine of not more than RM10,000, but courts mostly impose fines.

Abdullah said 147,502 illegal immigrants had already returned home in response to the voluntary repatriation program.

Riots

Malaysia, which is home to some 750,000 legal foreign workers, granted a similar amnesty in 1998.

The government, which has said it aims to deport about 10,000 Indonesian illegal immigrants every month, in January launched an offensive against the illegal immigrants with almost daily arrests.

Malaysia's increasing intolerance of illegal immigrants was also turned against legal workers from Indonesia after two riots in January by textile and construction workers.

The government announced that Indonesians would be hired in future only as domestic helpers and plantation workers.



Malaysiakini
news and views that matter


Sign In