Govt extends 2 immigration recalibration programmes until year-end

KUALA LUMPUR – The labour recalibration programme, which legitimises illegal immigrants as legal foreign workers, has been extended. It was slated to end last month.

Home Ministry chief secretary Datuk Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said the programme, which is part of the government’s Illegal Immigration Recalibration Plan (IIRP), will run either until year-end or the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme is completed.

Another IIRP scheme – the return recalibration programme, which allows illegal immigrants to voluntarily return to their home country – has been similarly extended.

Wan Dahlan in a statement today said the decision was made during a cabinet meeting on June 23.

He said IIRP will be expanded to Sabah and Sarawak, but is subject to approval from the respective state governments.

Since the plan started in November last year, a total of 248,083 undocumented workers have registered.

Of the figure, 97,892 individuals opted to return to their home country, while 149,889 registered for the labour recalibration programme.

“All illegal immigrants and employers who want to participate in these programmes are welcome to do so, and can deal directly with the Immigration Department or Labour Department,” said Wan Dahlan.

The extension of the plan comes in light of allegations of forced labour in the country, the vast majority of which involve foreign workers.

In the past year alone, United States authorities have banned three Malaysian companies over allegations of forced labour, as well as abusive working and poor living conditions.

Canada also launched probes into similar allegations on Malaysia’s palm oil and glove manufacturing sectors in May.

Local authorities have ramped up enforcement against illegal foreign workers since the start of the pandemic, the most recent initiative being the launch of Op Patuh, which is an operation against non-adherence of standard operating procedures in economic sectors.

Yesterday, 72 foreigners were nabbed in Pudu here for immigration offences under the operation. – The Vibes, July 5, 2021