SEMENYIH – The plan to carry out large-scale operations to detain illegal immigrants during the Covid-19 lockdown period is aimed at ensuring they have valid documents for vaccination purposes, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
He said the government cannot give vaccines to those without valid personal documents, adding that the inoculation exercise is aimed at achieving herd immunity to protect the public.
“Some parties have objected to the plan (to detain illegals), but it has to be made clear that if those detained do not have (valid) documents, how are we to include them in the vaccination programme?
“The government cannot give vaccines to this group because every vaccination registration programme requires valid documents,” he told the press after visiting a temporary immigration depot in Beranang near here today.
Hamzah was responding to statements by several opposition MPs and assemblymen regarding the position of illegals in the national vaccination drive.
“If they are not detained, will they go out to get vaccinated? That is why they are detained, and we will investigate whether they have an employer.”
He said the next step is to work with the employers involved and have them approach the relevant embassies to obtain the needed documents.
He called on elected representatives who oppose the government’s plan to “sponsor” detained illegals.
Hamzah added that 78,530 out of the total 97,891 illegals have been sent back to their home countries under the recalibration programme from December 21 last year to June 1.
About 108,000 foreigners are in the process of applying for a temporary employment visit pass, he said.
“Based on the total number, about 200,000 foreigners have been successfully identified through the programme conducted by the Immigration Department, and 5,009 employers registered with the programme want the registered foreigners to work for them.
“Discussions with the embassies of Myanmar, China, Indonesia and others are being carried out. We want to make sure that those who are here have documents for repatriation or other related matters.” – Bernama, June 3, 2021
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