Arrests everywhere in Malaysia, expatriates in trouble

Last Updated on January 13, 2025 5:55 am

With the general amnesty period ending on December 31 last year, arrests are underway in every province, including the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Police operations are underway under different names to catch them. Legal and illegal expatriates living in the country are going through a difficult time.

The Immigration Department says that places have been identified where foreigners have been living and running businesses illegally. From now on, the police focus will be on areas controlled by foreigners. Coordinated operations will be conducted from time to time to prevent the infiltration of these foreign citizens.

Since the beginning of this month, at least seven hundred illegal expatriates have been arrested in several operations by the Immigration Department. Among them, at least two hundred and fifty expatriate Bangladeshis are also present. On January 10, the Immigration Department arrested 34 illegal immigrants in a raid on Petaling Street in the capital Kuala Lumpur.

The migrants were detained in an operation dubbed the ‘KL Strike Force’ by the Immigration Department in a hotspot area where foreigners are selling illegal goods.

Kuala Lumpur Immigration Director Wan Mohd Saupi Wan Yusuf said the operation lasted for more than an hour and searched 77 foreigners. Of this number, 34 were detained for not having valid documents.

Among those detained were 26 Bangladeshis, four from Myanmar, two Pakistanis and citizens of Mauritius and Nepal. They are aged between 22 and 55.

Saupi Wan said the pass abuses, as they had valid temporary work visit passes and work permits. But they were not at their designated locations or with their actual employers.

Wan Mohd Saupi also said that most of those who misused their passes were holders of construction passes, cleaning and washing sector passes and other similar sector permits.

The premises employing these foreign nationals were also inspected and four local business owners were fined.

Immigration analysts say Malaysia has long been a preferred destination for foreigners. Its strategic geographical location, in the middle of Southeast Asia, as well as good transportation facilities, make Malaysia a major gateway for labor mobility in the region.

Coupled with rapid economic growth, Malaysia offers a variety of job opportunities in fast-growing sectors such as construction, plantations, manufacturing and services.

These factors make Malaysia a major attraction for foreign workers who come to seek a better life and more job opportunities than in their country of origin. The presence of these foreigners brings challenges that cannot be ignored.

While Malaysia benefits from the contribution of foreign labor in critical sectors, the influx of foreign migrants, especially those without legal documentation, has created various social, economic and security problems. These include non-compliance with immigration laws, exploitation of workers as well as social tensions between foreigners and locals.

The issue of foreign migrants in Malaysia requires close attention and a holistic solution, so that the balance between the needs of the country’s economy and the welfare of local communities can be more effectively achieved.

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