The Hindu : International : Malaysia to deport illegal aliens

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 02, 2005

International

International

Malaysia to deport illegal aliens

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, MARCH 1. Malaysia has indicated its intention of dealing sternly with "illegal immigrants" and their employers under a multi-pronged operation. This will follow the completion, on Monday, of an extended scheme of amnesty for aliens without valid visas and work permits.

About four lakh illegal immigrants, most from neighbouring Indonesia, are estimated to have left Malaysia voluntarily under the amnesty programme that was introduced last October. Almost an equal number are suspected to have stayed on, with or without the connivance of their Malaysian employers. A conservative estimate has put their number at two lakhs rather than four.

The Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, declared today that "our machinery is ready to enforce the law" against such foreigners and their local masters.

While various enforcement agencies were mobilised for this operation, Mr. Najib assured that there would be no ill-treatment of those to be detained. They would be charged and deported. Besides the humane approach, he said the reported move by some Indonesian parliamentarians to monitor the operation was acceptable as the two countries had friendly ties.

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