I-Kad to solve illegals problem
Published on: Friday, January 10, 2014
Putra Jaya: Some 2.3 million foreign workers must have the I-Kad, latest by the year-end, in a move to solve the problem of illegal immigrants in the country. Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the I-Kad would be issued in stages according to the sectors and colour codes.He said the I-Kad had high-technology security features such as biometric fingerprints, Nexcode and contactless chip.
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"The employers or workers will have to apply for the card at RM110. The people's money will not be used for this."The Home Ministry will not compromise with those foreign workers who don't have an I-Kad," he told reporters after the launching of the Foreign Workers I-Kad, here, Thursday.Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad (PNMB) has been appointed to supply the I-Kad. The use of I-Kad was enforced on Nov 15, last year.
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Ahmad Zahid said the I-Kad would ease detecting foreign workers in 10 sectors in the country and avoid forgery while other security features would be upgraded in the second phase.Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry is to launch a large-scale operation on Jan 21 against illegal immigrants in the country.
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He said the exercise would involve the Immigration Department, Royal Malaysia Police and People's Volunteer Corps (Rela). It would begin a day after the special programme on the management of illegal immigrants ends on Jan 20, he said.Ahmad Zahid said the cost of deporting the arrested illegal immigrants to their countries of origin would be borne by the immigrants themselves, their employers or the missions of these countries. "The Government will not use public funds to deport the illegal immigrants. We have discussed this matter with respective foreign missions," he said. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar; Home Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad Khalid Shariff; Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Alias Ahmad and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar were also present at the news conference. Ahmad Zahid said biometric fingerprint registration would be done for all the illegal immigrants before their deportation to ensure that they would not be able to return to Malaysia under a different name. "The Government will not compromise on the matter of foreigners living in Malaysia illegally, thus reducing the employment opportunities and depriving Malaysians of their right to earn a living," he said. He also said there would be no more extension of the special programme on the management of illegal immigrants after the expiry date of Jan 20, and reminded employers to send in their applications within the next 10 days. "Do not wait until the last day when all the Immigration offices are congested to make the applications. We have given ample time," he said. Ahmad Zahid said the ongoing special programme on the management of illegal immigrants at the ministry's one-stop centre enabled employers claiming to have been cheated by agents or middlemen during the 6P programme on legalisation of illegal migrant workers to scrutinise their applications. Over the last three months, only 3,951 applications were registered, he said, adding that it was hoped that employers would come to the centre early to avoid problems.Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid warned operators of conventional and online gambling to stop their illegal activities before police intensify "Ops Dadu.""Ops Dadu had been held all this while but we will intensify the operations. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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