Melaka Immigration Dept to screen 60,000 foreign workers

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MELAKA: The Melaka Immigration Department will screen the 60,000 foreign workers who registered under the 6P programme which ended last Aug 31 for legalisation process, its director, Kamalludin Ismail said.

He said the foreigners comprised 14,000 illegal immigrants and 46,000 who entered the country legally.

“The policy and date for the implementation of the legalisation process will be decided at a Cabinet Committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Oct 4,” he told reporters at the department’s Aidilfitri celebration here yesterday.

Kamalludin said the legalisation process would be carried out to determine whether there was a need to maintain their presence in certain sectors which required foreign workers.

“If it is found that the affected illegal immigrants are suitable to fill the job vacancies in the affected sectors, they would be legalised as foreign workers with registered employers,” he added.

The 6P programme was carried out to collect data on how many illegal immigrants are in the country, how many work in sectors allowed to recruit foreigners and to give illegal immigrants a chance to go home without being prosecuted. — Bernama