UK TIGHTENS NOOSE ON IMMIGRATION VIOLATORS

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia remains among the top 10
countries listed by the British government for overstayers and immigration
offenders in the United Kingdom (UK) despite a significant commitment by the
Malaysian governmemt to improve the situation.

British High Commissioner to Malaysia Boyd McCleary said Wednesday the
Malaysian government should continue to impose more stringent deterrent measures
and the British goverment was also willing to work with its Malaysian
counterpart to continue improving the situation.

"The Malaysian government had responded constructively and taken serious
commitment to address this issue. But we hope that the enforcement collaboration
between both countries can be further enhanced," he said at a campaign here to
deter Malaysians from overstaying in the UK.

He said that among the measures that could be taken were improving
enforcement at the KL International Airport (KLIA) and a stringent process to
filter and curb illegitimate travellers.

Malaysia and the UK were also expected to sign a memorandum of understanding
to further enhance cooperation on immigration issues between both countries.

McCleary said that last year alone saw a significant drop compared with
previous years where only 847 Malaysians were stopped from entering UK at ports
and airports.

"This constitued 36 per cent less than in 2007 and 48 per cent less in 2006.
Malaysians who were caught working illegally in the UK also dropped from an
average 200 monthly compared with nearly 300 persons a month in 2006," he said.

The campaign by the UK Border Agency (UKBA), which safeguards UK borders and
controls migration in the UK, highlights tough actions to be taken against
overstayers and illegal immigrants to the UK, including penalty, deportation,
imprisonment and being barred from re-entering the UK.

The campaign came after Malaysia passed the Visa Waiver Test in a review by
the British government last year which involved 11 non-European countries.
Botswana, Brazil, Mauritius, Namibia and Trinidad and Tobago also retained their
six months visa-free status with Britain.

Countries which failed in the exercise were Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa,
Swaziland and Venezuela.

McCleary said, however, that Britain reserved the right to review the
situation from time to time if it was not satisfied with the level of
cooperation received.

He said Malaysians overstayers and illegal immigrants to the UK were
normally in the 21 to 40 years age group while the hotel and restaurant industry
was the top employment provider for them.

He also said that the British government's decision to retain Malaysia's
visa status had nothing to do with the recession that is currently affecting the
UK.
Meanwhile, UKBA International Group regional manager for Southeast Asia Jon
Drew said that in efforts to strengthen its enforcement, education institutions
in the country were required to register with the UKBA.

However, the regulations for Malaysian students pursuing studies in
the UK would stay although new procedures to attain students visa would be
introduced end of March.
-- BERNAMA