PUTRAJAYA: The number of illegal foreign workers leaving Malaysia has dropped markedly following extension of the amnesty period, the Immigration Department said Tuesday.Its Enforcement Director, Datuk Ishak Mohamed, said only 2,932 illegals left the country from the first to the fourth day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri compared to 9,288 on the eve of Hari Raya.
He said the number which averaged less than 1,000 a day showed the illegals want to wait till the last possible moment so that they could amass more money during the amnesty period.
On Nov 5, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sent Manpower and Transmigration Minister Fahmi Idris to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the amnesty period, which was deemed too short.
The initial amnesty period was from Oct 29 to Nov 14. It has since been extended to a date yet to be decided.
Ishak said the issue of employers withholding salaries was not a major factor to the reluctance of illegals to return home as there were only 604 such complaints among the 98,000 illegals who left the country between Oct 29 and Nov 14.
"This is not even one per cent of the total. It's not a major factor," he said. He advised employers to settle all claims so that their workers could leave within the amnesty period.
He said upon expiry of the amnesty period, the Immigration Department would conduct operations targeting illegals, their employers and middlemen.
He said the operations would be carried out in collaboration with Rukun Tetangga and Rela personnel. He urged the public to tip-off the authorities on their neighbours who harboured or employed illegal workers.
Up to Monday, 106,972 illegal immigrants, the majority comprising Indonesians, have left Malaysia.
There are an estimated 1.2 million illegals in the country.- Bernama
