Immigration dept frustrated with employers who have not registered E-Card

PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department is frustrated over the lackadaisical attitude of employers with illegal foreign workers in registering for the Enforcement Card (E-Card).
Its director-general, Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali (pix), said although the deadline is not more than a week away, currently only about 131,269 had come up and applied for E-Card.
"We expected about 400,000 would apply, but as of June 18, there's only about 131,269 who have applied.
"I am very disappointed, we have given them (the employers) the chance (to register their employees) but they seem to choose an illegal way to hire a foreign workers," Mustafar said during a press conference after visiting the E-Card registration centre at the Immigration headquarters here today.
The programme started on Feb 15 and will end on June 30.
When asked about the poor turn out, Mustafar said it's probably due to the "last minute" culture that some Malaysians possess.
He added that Immigration will not extend the programme's deadline and warned employers that they will hunt down illegal immigrants nationwide starting July 1.
"This is the last chance for all employers who had hired foreign workers without work permits to register their employees, we have given them the opportunity and I suggest they take it.
"We will do a big scale operation right after the E-Card programme ends, and we will take stern action against employers who do not obey to the rules, as well as we will deport those illegal migrants," he said.
The E-card is only available to illegal workers from 15 countries that supply foreign workers to Malaysia.
These are Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Mustafar said Immigration will extend the working hours for E-Card registration after Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday to 12am.