Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said investigators have completed their probe into two companies in relation to the hiring of undocumented workers from China at the Forest City development in Johor.

The investigation papers were handed over to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for them to initiate prosecution, he said.

“Investigation papers on Tengyue Overseas Construction Sdn Bhd and Evergrande Construction Sdn Bhd have been completed and passed to the deputy public prosecutor to decide on the charges,” Zahid said in a parliamentary written reply.

He was responding to a question by DAP’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who asked whether the government had fined Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV), its contractors or subcontractors who hired undocumented foreign workers at the Forest City project.

Following a raid on May 10 this year, 12 undocumented immigrants of Chinese citizenship were arrested and charged in court under the Immigration Act, according to the written reply.

“All of these undocumented immigrants have been deported after their court sentence,” he added.

The Immigration Department’s records also show that there have been no applications from any employers to recruit foreign workers under the Rehiring Programme for the Forest City project, Zahid said in a separate written parliamentary reply, also responding to Kok.

In May, Malaysiakini in an exclusive report found hundreds of undocumented migrant workers from China were forced to return home after finding out that they might not receive payment from the subcontractors of the Forest City project.

These workers, who arrived in Malaysia under tourist visas, claimed they were cheated by agents in China who charged them 10,000 yuan (RM6,288) to 24,000 (RM15,092) to secure them “lucrative jobs” in Johor.

Some who decided to stay and work illegally were owed up to six months’ salary, and had survived on a monthly allowance of RM300.

The Immigration Department had said that they would investigate the matter, a move welcomed by CGPV.

Meanwhile, Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said his ministry will consider legalising the migrant workers.

CGPV also vowed to take stern action against those found to be employing undocumented foreign workers with regard to its project.

The company had said that it is not involved in the recruitment of foreign labour, relying instead on suppliers, contractors and subcontractors.