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?
The government has set a target of rounding up 40,000 illegal immigrants this year, up from the 25,000 who were caught in 2006, said Minister of Home Affairs Mohamad Radzi Sheikh Ahmad.
<P>’We are confident of achieving the target of nabbing 40,000 illegal immigrants based on the 25,000 people arrested last year although the target then was only 20,000 people,’ he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama newsagency.</P>
<P>Mohamad Radzi said surprise raids would be conducted on a weekly basis, up from once a
fortnight last year.</P><P>In recent years, the government has increased efforts
to detain and deport illegal immigrants, who have been blamed for an increase
in crime and social ills.</P><P>Aside from immigration officers, the government
has recruited some 470,000 volunteers whose sole responsibility is to help nab
illegal workers.</P><P>Malaysia is home to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants,
most of whom come from neighbouring Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, India
and Thailand.</P><P>© 2007 dpa – Deutsche Presse-Agentur</P><P><I>Source:
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/asiapacific/news/article_1261142.php/Malaysia_vows_new_crackdowns_on_illegal_immigrants</I>
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