Illegal workforce critical in Malaysia

Illegal workforce critical in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The number of illegal immigrants in Malaysia has reached a critical level, prompting the government to order top security officials to resolve the issue, reports said yesterday.

There are more than one million illegal laborers in the country, officials said.

The crackdown was launched this month following the expiry of a six-month amnesty on Dec. 31.

The million-plus illegal workers -- mainly from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Pakistan and Burma -- have given the impression that the country's sea and land borders are easily breached, police inspector-general Abdul Rahim Noor said.