Ops on illegal workers

PUTRAJAYA: Newly appointed Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Mustafa Ibrahim has vowed to flush out over 500,000 illegal immigrants employed in the country by unscrupulous business operators.
Mustafa, who took charge of the office today, is no novice in the business of addressing the growing number of undocumented foreigners.
Having served as the director-general of the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela), the volunteer enforcement unit tasked to assist the Immigration Department in tackling illegal immigrant issues, Mustafa is confident of achieving his vision and mission.
Apart from such individuals, Mustafa said his department will also target foreigners who breach the conditions of their work visas.
"These are the 'half legitimates' who abuse their work permits.
They come in as plantation workers or waiters but are involved in other work or run their own business here," he a press conference at the department's headquarters in Putrajaya.
He said the illegal immigrant issue is a big problem and is at a critical stage.
"We will be carrying out a massive operation which I will personally head and oversee. We will not disclose when, maybe in a week or two but it will be very soon," he said.
Mustafa warned business operators who have illegal immigrants in their employment to hand such foreigners to the authorities or face severe action.
"As the home minister (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) has stressed, I will not spare any employer, employment agency or black market syndicates from stern action if we catch them breaking immigration laws. There will be no more reprieve for them." he said, adding that he will continue to engage Rela to assist in the upcoming operation.
He said the nationwide operation will also be carried out at Cameron Highlands, where the employment of thousands of illegal immigrants at vegetable farms and other businesses was recently uncovered.
Mustafa, who took over from his predecessor Datuk Aloyah Mamat, said in order to focus on the core business of the department, he intends to maximise the field workforce by minimising office-based staff.
He said it is also his vision to further speed up and enhance the delivery service of the department to the public with integrity and efficiency.
"I will continue to enhance the positive efforts made by the previous leadership and will focus on the welfare of my staff, the requests they have made will be looked into and considered for approval," he said.
Last year, out of two million illegal immigrants, mainly from neighbouring countries who were given the opportunity to register and legalise their status in the country, just more than half had taken up the offer under Ops Sepadu 6P.
Tens of thousands were rounded up in a crackdown launched soon after the grace period and were deported.
This year, the Immigration Department has again urged employers with illegal employees to turn them in by year end to avoid action.