Over 1,000 Foreigners Deported After Crackdown
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- Published on Friday, 31 January 2014 09:02
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Pic: AFPKUALA LUMPUR: The second wave of nationwide crackdowns on foreign workers, which began on January 21, has so far seen 1,239 illegal immigrants deported back to their countries.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said another 300 were expected to be deported in the next few days.
“The operations will go on. There have been raids almost every day,” he said.
Zahid said the authorities were also out to nab foreigners who have started their own businesses here illegally.
“They get married to locals here simply to get an opportunity to start a business. Most of them are without personal documents,” he said.
Zahid said those detained will be deported back as soon as possible to avoid overcrowding the deportation centres.
To date, 271 operations have been carried out in all states. Some 3,000 illegal immigrants are currently in custody at Immigration detention depots around the country.
The total number of immigrants comprised of 563 Indonesians, 177 Myanmars, 113 Bangladeshis, 78 Nepalese, 61 Vietnamese, 42 Indians, 41 Sri Lankans, 40 Pakistanis, 32 Cambodians, 29 Filipinos, 20 Chinese and 15 Thais. The remaining 28 were of other nationalities.
The crackdown was the culmination of a three-month registration period for legalisation of foreign workers under the 6P programme.
