Over three million enforcement personnel would embark on a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigrants and their employers who failed to register with the government’s amnesty programme.

The operation, led by the Immigration Department, involves three million People’s Volunteers Corps (Rela), 125,000 police and 110,000 military personnel.

In a statement today, Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam said this was decided by a high-level meeting between various ministries and agencies in Putrajaya yesterday.

A time frame for the swoop has not yet been announced but Mahmood said illegal immigrants and their employers still have time to “surrender themselves” at any immigration office throughout the country.

“Surrendering would make them exempt from legal action, but they are both legally obligated to deport the illegal immigrants to their country of origin, with the employers bearing the cost,” he said.

All migrant workers have been required under the Home Ministry’s 6P programme to register themselves and have their biometric data recorded. The deadline was extended until Aug 31.

Under the programme, illegal immigrants who register would be granted documents that would allow them to work temporarily in Malaysia.