Datu Robert Lian
Immigration chief: Harbouring illegal workers a crime as avoiding paying workers’ levy affects nation’s coffers
KUCHING: The State Immigration Department wants the passports of employers caught harbouring illegal foreign workers suspended until they pay their dues.
Its director Datu Robert Lian said he would forward this recommendation to the government for approval soon as eluding paying the levy imposed on foreign workers would affect the nation’s coffers.
“Employers who avoid paying the levy on foreign workers must pay what is due to the people of Malaysia,” he told The Borneo Post recently.
Robert said levy represented revenue to the nation, and what this group of employers was doing was a crime.
“This is a serious matter. They are making profits at the expense of the people of Sarawak and Malaysia.
“If they (employers) don’t want to pay up, why should I allow them to enjoy themselves overseas? I am going to propose that unless they pay, they will not be permitted to travel overseas again.”
Currently, employers caught in such a situation would only be imprisoned or fined.
Robert estimated there are about 100,000 illegal workers in Sarawak at present, and cooperation from employers was crucial to eradicate the problem.
He advised employers who had illegal workers to apply for permits for all these workers.
On the detention of illegal workers, he said were less than 500 illegal workers or immigrants in detention depots such as Semuja Detention Camp in Serian.
He said the state had no problem in terms of space to detain these foreigners.
Robert explained that illegal foreigners caught by the police or other enforcement agencies would be tried in court first. Once they are found guilty, they would have to serve the sentence imposed by the court before deportation to their country of origin.