Kuala Lumpur: Hundreds of foreign nationals have been crowding the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department to apply for voluntary return under the Migrant Repatriation Programme, which ends on December 31.
The initiative, launched on March 1, allows foreign nationals who have committed immigration offences to return to their home countries voluntarily by paying a reduced fine.
According to a report by Harian Metro, Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff said over 27,000 foreign nationals had applied under the programme as of December, generating RM13.12 million in fines.
“We process more than 350 applications daily,” he said.
The Immigration Department reported that applicants must pay between RM300 and RM500 depending on their offence, such as overstaying or breaching visa conditions, before being permitted to leave the country.
Wan Mohammed added that applicants must provide valid travel documents and flight tickets, or consult their embassies for assistance.
He urged applicants to visit nearby immigration offices to avoid delays at crowded centres like Jalan Duta.
“No agents or third parties are authorised to handle applications on behalf of the Immigration Department,” he added.
Nepali worker, Yogendra, 26, said he was eager to leave after working in Malaysia for over two years.
“I have a passport, but it recently expired. So I came here early and only needed to pay a RM500 fine. This is a safe way for me to return home without fear of detention,” he said.
Another applicant, Suzi, 45, from Indonesia, expressed gratitude for the programme after working in Malaysia for four years in the manufacturing sector.
“Thank you, Malaysia, for giving me the chance to earn a living,” she told Harian Metro.
In Terengganu, applicants praised efficient document checks that allowed for processing within 15 to 30 minutes.
An Indonesian worker, Zainuddin, 37, said he and 30 others had worked on palm oil plantations since June 2022 without proper work permits.
“We were promised permits, but our employer kept delaying,” he claimed.
Zainuddin and his friend, Akidan, 41, travelled from Johor to Terengganu to avoid long queues in larger cities.
Media reports indicate that the programme has received strong participation from undocumented migrants seeking to return to their home countries without facing legal action.
Undocumented migrants are individuals residing or entering a country without the required legal authorisation or valid documentation, such as visas or work permits.
