Published on: Thursday, January 27, 2005 |
PUTRAJAYA: Illegal foreign workers who took the amnesty offer and returned to their home countries will be given priority to fill job vacancies in Malaysia for three months beginning next week, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid said Wednesday.
During that period, the intake of new foreign workers would be temporarily frozen and employment agents or employers could only bring in those who opted for the amnesty.
"Those we have proof that they chose the amnesty will be given priority to return to work here," he told reporters Wednesday.
Up to Jan 24, a total 331,134 illegal immigrants returned to their home countries under the amnesty first offered for 17 days from Oct 29 and later extended twice. It will now end on Jan 31.
Indonesians made up the largest number who left at 289,735, followed by Indians (14,859), Bangladeshis (6,722), Nepalese (2,704) and Chinese (2,898). Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to jointly operate 14 one-stop immigration processing centres in Indonesia to clear workers who wished to return legally to work in Malaysia.
Officers of the newly established Construction Labour Exchange Centre Bhd (CLAB) will also be posted to the centres to facilitate the workers' re-entry.
"Previous illegal workers in the construction sector who no longer have employers can register with CLAB at the one-stop centres for placement in new jobs," Azmi said.
He said they would be monitored by CLAB on their return and could work with any employer who was registered with it.
To speed up the processing of workers for re-entry, he said the Government had spent RM200,000 to implement a biometric system which connects the one-stop centres online via satellite to the databank of finger prints taken of illegal workers who left after Jan 15.
He said the Ministry would also give some leeway to employment agents or employers to pay the levies of foreign workers within a month of their arrival in the country.
"The same goes for their medical report which must also be done in the same period," he said.
Azmi urged illegal workers still in Malaysia to return to their home countries before next week as there would be no further extension of the amnesty.
He also advised illegal workers and employers not to be taken in by groups who claimed they could "legalise" the illegal workers without the need for them to leave the country.
"Leaflets have been distributed by the cheats with a number to call for the service," he said. - Bernama
