269 EMPLOYERS CHARGED FOR IMMIGRATION OFFENCES FROM 2007 TO 2009

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- A total of 269 employers were charged for
offences related to foreign workers under the Immigration Act 1959/63 from 2007
to 2009, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said Immigration Department statistics showed in 2007, 61 employers were
brought to book while for 2008 and 2009, the figures were 64 and 144
respectively.

"Employers' responsibilities and role in the hiring of foreign workers also
needs to spelt out in further detail. They are not limited to matters contained
in the Immigration Act and other regulations," he said in a statement here
Friday.

Towards this end, he said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin,
who is the chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers, would be given
a special briefing on issues related to foreign workers in the country on
Tuesday.

He said the briefing was to update the deputy prime minister on the role
played by the recently-set up Special Committee for the Management and
Monitoring of Foreign Workers, which is chaired by himself.

Hishammuddin said efforts to stop the influx of foreign workers and illegal
immigrants needed a holistic approach in line with his ministry's aim to make
the issue one of its main agendas for this year.

"The efforts should not focus only on the aspects of enforcement but also
comprehensive vetting before foreign workers are allowed to come into the
country," he said, adding that it would need an integrated approach involving
other ministries and government agencies.

"We realise there is an urgent need to improve the aspects of enforcement
through formulation of new strategies taking into consideration the in and out
movements and mobility of illegal immigrants in Malaysia," said Hishammuddin.
-- BERNAMA