Tough action needed against illegals<\/p>\n
V.K. Chin, The Star, Asia News Network, Selangor, Malaysia<\/p>\n
The government will have to find a balance in dealing with the
\nillegal immigrants in such a manner that it will be seen to be
\ncooperating with its neighbors without at the same time upsetting
\nthe people.<\/p>\n
At the request of Indonesia and the Philippines, the
\ngovernment has decided on a soft approach in handling the
\nsituation instead of using tougher action in flushing out the
\nillegal immigrants.<\/p>\n
This was done to maintain goodwill and cooperation among Asean
\nmembers and in this case, Indonesia and the Philippines have the
\nmost number of their nationals in Malaysia without proper travel
\ndocuments or work permits.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has cited the tsunami disaster as the reason for its
\nrequest and to give it more time to deal with this mammoth
\ntragedy in which more than 200,000 of its citizens in the Aceh
\nprovince were killed and nearly a million made homeless by the
\ngiant waves.<\/p>\n
As for the Philippines, it would like more time for its
\nofficials in Sabah, where their countrymen are concentrated, to
\nissue documents for the illegal immigrants to make the short trip
\nhome.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, it had been reported that its officials were
\nunable to trace many of the Filipinos in their places of
\nresidence in the state.<\/p>\n
This merely proves that these illegal immigrants are not
\nwilling to return home just yet.<\/p>\n
While Malaysians realize the importance of maintaining good
\nrelations with its closest neighbors at all levels, they would
\nlike the government to look after their interests and welfare
\ntoo.<\/p>\n
They would like all the illegal immigrants to be sent home
\nwithout further delay and that only those whose services are
\nreally required to meet local labor shortage be allowed to
\nremain, provided they have been issued with work permits and are
\nof good health and character.<\/p>\n
The health issue is a worrying one as some of these workers
\nhave brought in very deadly diseases such as malaria and leprosy,
\nwhich were no longer medical threats here.<\/p>\n
The fact that these people were cleared medically showed the
\nserious flaws existing in the screening process on the Indonesian
\nside.<\/p>\n
This ineptitude is being compounded by the fact that these
\nforeign workers would need to get a medical check-up locally only
\nafter a year.<\/p>\n
The government would like such medical examinations to be done
\nearlier, otherwise those carrying such deadly diseases would have
\ntime to spread them to those they came into contact with.<\/p>\n
But the government cannot go on indefinitely using the soft
\napproach to persuade the illegal immigrants to come forward and
\nreturn home voluntarily without fear of punishment.<\/p>\n
Though this offer may attract some of the illegal immigrants,
\na significant number of them may opt to stay put.<\/p>\n
The government must be prepared for this eventuality and the
\naction to be taken against them.<\/p>\n
It must come up with the necessary measures to deal with the
\nrecalcitrant ones to show that it does not pay to break local
\nlaws, immigration or others as well.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tough-action-needed-against-illegals-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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