Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order deputy director Deputy Comm Abdul
Halim Abdul Hamid, who attended a briefing on Ops Nyah I Khas in Johor Baru,
said operations to arrest and deport illegals had started.
<p>"We are expecting such attempts (to leave the country now) by defiant
immigrants and we are ready for that. </p>
<p>"Our Government has given them the chance and ample time to return home
but when they ignore this opportunity, they are just asking for trouble,"
he added.</p>
<p>The amnesty period ended yesterday and the crackdown on illegals starts today.
</p>
<p>The last-minute rush for home was seen in Malacca, Port Klang, Sandakan, Tawau
and Penang. </p>
<p>Illegal workers were seen turning up at the Shahbandar Jetty in Malacca and
by 3.30pm, a total of 543 illegal workers from Indonesia left by ferry for Dumai,
Bengkalis and Pekan Baru. </p>
<p>The illegals were also seen making a beeline for Port Klang for their journey
home. </p>
<p>Selangor Immigration deputy assistant director Amdan Yahaya said that by 3.30pm,
two ships Tanjung Nusanife and Darma Lautan had a total of 3,000 passengers.
</p>
<p>"The two ships can accommodate 7,000 passengers and we expect more Indonesians
to be at the port (later yesterday)," he said. </p>
<p>In Sabah, an estimated 100,000 illegal immigrants are believed to have left
the state although officially only some 51,000, mainly Indonesians and Filipinos,
had left the state through proper channels. </p>
<p>The rest are believed to have used "backdoor routes" to return to
their home country. </p>
<p>Philippine Consul-General Antonio Morales said between 20,000 and 30,000 of
their citizens were believed to have had used traditional boat routes to return
home. </p>
<p>Sabah Immigration Department enforcement chief Mohd Farid Abdullah said 41,000
Indonesians, 9,000 Filipinos and the rest from India, Pakistan, China and one
from Britain were among the 51,000 who left the state during the amnesty. </p>
<p>In Sarawak, some 15,900 illegal migrants had returned home during the amnesty
period from October last year, said state Immigration Department public relations
officer Zakaria Abdul Rani. </p>
<p>Most of them were Indonesians who left for home through the Tebedu border with
west Kalimantan. </p>
<p>Several airlines in Petaling Jaya reported full bookings for flights in the
past week. </p>
<p>Garuda Indonesia Airways spokesman said February was busy for them with about
20 flights to various Indonesian destinations per week. </p>
<p>Bangladesh’s Biman Airlines and Indonesia’s Lion Airlines also reported full
bookings.
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