An increasing number of foreign sex workers have been arrested in Malaysia, with Chinese nationals topping the list, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

According to Deputy Internal Security Minister Mohd Johari Baharum, 6,484 foreign sex workers were arrested last year - an increase of 12 percent from 5,783 arrested in 2004.

"Up till July this year, it is reported that 3,245 of them have been arrested," he told Mohd Yusop Majid (BN-Setiu) during the question-and-answer session.

Johari said a number of foreign women were entering the country posing as tourists but then becoming sex workers.

"In most cases, prostitution is run behind a veil. There are tourists who come here using the travel visa but they end up being involved in prostitution," said Johari.

"The cooperation of various parties and ministries is needed to tackle the problem."

China tops list

According to Johari, over 15,500 foreign women had been arrested for prostitution from 2004 to July 2006.

Over 6,000 were from China, while 4,596 were from Indonesia, 2,613 from Thailand and 1,316 from the Philippines, he said.

Nationals from Vietnam, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, India, Burma, Russia, Laos and Cambodia had also entered the country as sex workers.

On measures taken by the government to curb prostitution, the deputy minister said those arrested can be charged in court under the Penal Code while those who breached their visa conditions will face action under the immigration laws.

He said that licences for premises used to offer prostitution services will be revoked.

Review to visa on arrival

Answering a supplementary question, Johari voiced his concern on the issuance of visas upon arrival to promote the tourism industry and called for a review to be done to prevent any abuse.

"We want more tourists to come to Malaysia but some of them come on a tourist visa and end up getting involved in such activities," the deputy minister said.

In view of this, he said the responsibility to curb prostitution should not be completely on the shoulders of the Internal Security Ministry alone as it needs the cooperation of other ministries.

"We are always monitoring the situation and we view this seriously as next year is Visit Malaysia Year," he noted.