Immigration Dept to push for maximum penalties against those who hire illegals

PUTRAJAYA: Employers who hire illegal immigrants could face the rotan in addition to being jailed and fined.
Such a prospect may become a common reality as the Immigration Department plans to press for the maximum penalties allowed by law to be applied against such employers, especially those caught with five or more illegal foreign workers.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said such employers could face the maximum fine of RM10,000, imprisonment and three strokes of the cane.
"Caning has been done before on employers. So yes, we will push for the maximum penalty," he said after attending the department's Aidilfitri celebrations yesterday.
"This is not merely to send out a message, but because we have given ample time for them to register their foreign workers," he added.
Mustafar said the department has turned down Indonesia's request to extend the Enforcement Card (E-Card) programme, stressing that the June 30 deadline was final.
"We will not extend the period for E-Card applications. It's a total no. We have decided, and the decision is final. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has also said this before."
Indonesian Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dhakiri had on Monday urged Malaysia to extend the E-Card programme, claiming the crackdown on illegal foreign workers has forced hundreds of Indonesians to flee from their workplaces.
It was also reported that Indonesian authorities would meet with their counterparts here to discuss the matter.
Mustafar said he was open to any discussion, but stressed that any policy decisions are to be made by Ahmad Zahid.
As of yesterday morning, a total of 63 employers have been detained under Ops Mega since June 30.
In addition, 3,116 illegal immigrants were also arrested, which Mustafar said was the highest number detained by the department within a 10-day period.
On claims of overcrowding in detention centres, he said: "Before Ops Mega commenced, we ensured that most of the detainees at the depots were deported first."
Mustafar added that almost 30,000 illegals have been sent back since early this year.