BACHOK: The Malaysian Immigration Department in Kelantan has received 97 applications from foreigners for the “Back for Good” programme introduced on Aug 1 and aimed at providing an opportunity to foreigners to return home voluntarily.
Its deputy director, Siti Khadijah Hamzah said the programme, targeted on foreigners who committed offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, such as not having valid travel documents or had overstayed in the country.
She said so far, the applications received were from Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indonesian nationals.
“To apply for the programme, they are required to obtain new passports or relevant documents from their respective embassies, as well as tickets for them to return to their home countries, and present themselves at any Immigration office.
“They will be given seven days to leave Malaysia, after which their names will be blacklisted,” she told reporters after attending the department’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme at the Salimah Orphanage in Telong here today.
Siti Khadijah said compound payment of RM700 will be charged to the foreigners who want to participate in the programme, which will last until Dec 31.
In another development, she said 930 illegal immigrants were detained in 337 operations conducted since January until last Sept 5.
They included 290 Bangladeshi nationals, 243 Myanmar nationals, 153 Indonesians and 116 Thais, she added.
On the CSR program, she said, it involved the participation of 25 Immigration officers who helped clean and paint the orphanage which currently houses 42 orphans. — Bernama
