KL to demolish RI squatter homes<\/p>\n
M. Jegathesan, Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Malaysia will demolish squatter houses and step up patrols
\nagainst a feared rush of illegal immigrants after a ban on hiring
\nnew Indonesian workers, officials said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of marine police are being deployed to guard entry
\npoints along the waters separating Malaysia and Indonesia, marine
\npolice chief Muhamad Muda told AFP.<\/p>\n
And Selangor, Malaysia's most industrialized state, has
\ndirected enforcement agencies to demolish squatter colonies
\npopulated by immigrants and tear down their food stalls,
\nnewspapers reported.<\/p>\n
\"We have identified two Indonesian colonies. We will be
\ndemolishing the houses next week,\" said Ahmad Kabit, president of
\nthe Ampang Jaya Municipal Council.<\/p>\n
Emran Kadir, president of the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council
\nsaid the council had identified 54 locations where squatter
\ncolonies existed housing a total of 1,201 Indonesian families.<\/p>\n
Emran said the council was working out plans to eradicate the
\nsquatter colonies.<\/p>\n
\"It does not matter whether they hold permanent status or
\nillegals, we will tear down their homes.<\/p>\n
\"Areas which have been earmarked for development in the near
\nfuture will be demolished even if they are also occupied by
\nlocals,\" he was quoted as saying by The Sun newspaper on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
\"The difference is that locals are eligible for low-cost
\nhouses while the immigrants have to find alternative
\naccommodation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, women wanting to work as maids in Malaysia will be
\nexempted from the tough new line against Indonesian workers,
\nwhich was imposed after a riot over drug tests at a textile
\nfactory on Jan. 17.<\/p>\n
Many families depended on maids, and they had not caused major
\nsocial problems, Fong Chan Onn, human resource minister, was
\nquoted as saying by The Sun newspaper.<\/p>\n
Marine police chief Muhamad said 284 men and 44 boats had been
\ndeployed to turn away Indonesians who attempt to enter Malaysia
\nvia the Malacca Straits which separates the two countries.<\/p>\n
\"Our orders are for zero landings on our beaches by illegals,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"In the last one month we detained 850 illegal Indonesians who
\ntried to enter through sea and managed to turn away many more
\nboats.\"<\/p>\n
Muhamad said that after the riot and a rampage three days
\nlater by Indonesian construction workers, the marine police had
\nintensified their operations in waters off Selangor and Negri
\nSembilan states.<\/p>\n
\"With Malaysia's plan to make Indonesian workers the last
\nchoice of foreign workers, we fear it will encourage more
\nIndonesians to enter Malaysia illegally. Hence we need to boost
\nour operations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Muhamad said there were 36 staging areas on Sumatra island and
\nAceh and intelligence revealed that thousands of Indonesians,
\nmainly men, were waiting to sneak into Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Home ministry secretary-general Aseh Che Mat said on Monday
\nthat Indonesians would be made the last choice in the intake of
\nforeign labor so their numbers would be reduced.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesians now make up 566,983 out of a total of
\n769,566 legal foreign workers in the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kl-to-demolish-ri-squatter-homes-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}