Hospitals, private clinics and schools have been urged to help the home ministry identify the children of illegal immigrants.

They should come forward to report to the authority if they come across such cases, Deputy Home Minister Tan Chai Ho said today.

"We have conducted briefings for them in order to let them be more familiar with the law as they do come into contact with children of illegal immigrants," he added.

The deputy minister said this in a reply to Eric Enchin Majimbun (BN-Sepanggar) in Parliament this morning. The MP wanted to know of the home ministry's effort in tracing the children of illegal immigrants.

Tan added that relevant authorities such as immigration, national registration department, police, Rela and the local council have also carried out operations against the group.

No escape

He stressed that illegal immigrants and their families will not be allowed to escape legal action as it is illegal to stay in the country without valid documents.

On the number of illegal immigrants' children, Tan said there were 2,146 of them nationwide as at August this year with the majority being in Sabah.

In 2003, there were 2,933, as opposed to 5,022 in 2002 and 3,838 in 2001. The statistics were obtained through the birth registration of these children.

Tan said the government will launch a mass operation to crack down on illegal immigrants next January.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby later, he said these children could not claim Malaysian citizenship status because their parents were not Malaysians.

The children would have birth certificates stating that they are not Malaysian citizens to facilitate their return to their countries of origin, he said.