Immigration Dept: Country free of illegal immigrants by 2020

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department guarantees that Malaysia will be free from illegal immigrants, come 2020.
Deputy Director-General of Immigration (Control) Datuk Sakib Kusmi said the department was aiming to bring the illegal immigrants issue down to zero level.
He said plans in the next six years also involved the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) in a joint operation to counter illegal immigrants.
"Moreover, the immigration will also reconsider the implementation of the 3+1 expulsion programme which has been effective.
"What is important now is to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants into the country," he told Bernama in an interview recently.
Sakib said, for the country to be completely free of illegal immigrants, it required commitment and integrity from all the law enforcement agencies who controlled the land and sea borders.
Meanwhile, efforts to tighten and strengthen entry administration systems were being done through entry points at all airports in the country.
"While from a soft approach aspect, it would be to place immigration officers with high integrity in hotspot areas, also, transfer of officers will be done more thoroughly and according to schedule," he said.
When asked about repatriation of illegal immigrants, Sakib said that arrangements would be done in stages and it would take time.
"This is because the timeframe to send illegal immigrants back is difficult to set due to several factors, among which is to determine their citizenship status with respective embassies and the cost of repatriation," he said.
According to Sakib, the illegal immigrants would be sent back after their documentation processes were complete whereas for those who came forward voluntarily, the process would be much more easier.
"The immigration is working to ensure illegal immigrants are repatriated as soon as possible and will impose stern actions on immigrants and their employers after the 3+1 programme ends on Dec 31," he said.
According to Sakib, the number of illegal immigrants in the country was believed to be almost 2.5 million, based on analyses done by the immigration department. The 3+1 programme refers to a programme whereby the immigrants or their employers voluntarily surrender the immigrants to the authorities. – Bernama