KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry’s initial investigation on the influx of thousands of foreign workers in Cameron Highlands has revealed the existence of a foreign workers’ scam syndicate that is rampant lately.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said subsequently agencies under his ministry had been deployed to track down the syndicate’s agents who were believed to offer various jobs to cheat the foreign workers.
“Our teams are in the process of tracking down these agents because we do not want any human-trafficking (of these foreign workers) to occur.
“These agents not only cheat the workers but also make lucrative profits,” he said when met at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.
He had also directed the Immigration Department and police to continuously monitor the situation not only in the area concerned but also in several other locations that were the meeting and gathering place for foreign workers whose work permits had expired.
Ahmad Zahid said if these agents were found to be involved in bringing the foreign workers in illegally, immediate action would be taken, including court prosecution.
“I will also not compromise if there are internal elements (enforcement agencies) working with these agents, particularly if documents on these illegal workers have been issued,” he said.
He said the country’s interest needed to be taken into consideration when a certain area did not get any approval from the state government or District Land Office for plantation activities.
Ahmad Zahid also urged relevant agencies, including enforcement personnel of local authorities and the public with information on these agents and syndicate to come forward to give evidence and help to bust the syndicate. — Bernama