| Crack down on migrant workers in Malaysia |
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By Lee Shi-Ian KUALA LUMPUR: Government agencies are proposing 55 measures to combat terrorism and reduce the high number of illegal immigrants in the country. Coming close on the heels of reports that terror organisations were infiltrating universities, a laboratory was set up to tackle all issues relating to foreign workers and illegals, including security. Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam said agencies and ministries provided the initiatives. The Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, will table the initiatives when it meets on Aug 2. Among the initiatives are: Reviewing the visa-on-arrival programme for nationals from countries that have terrorist or militant links. Intelligence departments had submitted recommendations for the programme to be cancelled for visitors from selected countries to prevent them from entering Malaysia. Conducting checks on nationals from certain countries to find out if they have criminal records, especially if they could be a threat to national security, and drug convictions. This is targeted at nationals from west Africa as drug syndicates from that part of the world were found operating in Malaysia. Tightening entry procedures as some foreigners exploit loopholes to overstay or carry out illegal activities. There were many cases of students who abused their passes and worked illegally in the sex and hospitality industries. The authorities detained some students for selling drugs and defrauding people, especially through counterfeit currencies. Reducing the 1.8 million foreign workers in Malaysia to 1.5 million in three years. To do this, the government will offer incentives to employers to hire local workers. It will provide training for local workers to meet the level of skills expected by employers. Increasing the levy on foreign workers according to job sectors from early next year. Employers would pay the levy based on the number of foreign workers they employ and the length of their employment. This will ensure that employers bring in the exact number of workers needed, and not more. A source, who was part of this think tank, told the New Straits Times that the laboratory had also conducted a cost-benefit analysis on hiring foreign workers This was particularly for the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, services, tourism and plantation sectors. We also came up with a mechanism to monitor and manage foreign workers. It is crucial to have a database and surveillance system on foreign workers to ensure that foreigners who work here are legal and leave the country once their permit expires.” |
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