(AFP) Government plans to whip illegal immigrants were attacked as "inhuman and barbaric" by labour and rights groups today.

"We condemn the move to whip migrant workers. It is dehumanising," said Irene Fernandez, director of Tenaganita, a group which champions womens' and migrant workers' rights.

"The government has to come up with a comprehensive plan to handle the issue -- right from recruitment, employers' attitudes and violation of employees' rights," she said.

Elizabeth Wong, secretary-general of the National Human Rights Society (Hakam), said the group was totally against caning, which she described as "a form of torture".

"It is an inhuman way to treat people. It is barbaric," she said.

"There will be many instances of migrant workers who come here legally but later become illegals when they are suddenly terminated (fired)," added Wong.

Wong said the government should focus on entry points to deter illegal immigrants.

Six strokes

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced this week that new legislation providing for caning of illegal immigrants would be submitted to the cabinet soon.

The Star newspaper said it had learnt that a maximum of six cuts with a cane would be added to increased fines and jail terms, which now stand at maximums of RM10,000 ringgit and five years.

Abdullah said there were about 600,000 illegal immigrants here mainly from neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines.

There are about 700,000 legal foreign workers here, but a weakened economy has led to job cuts and calls for curbs on immigration.