KL cracks down on illegal workers

KL cracks down on illegal workers

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Malaysian immigration authorities yesterday began house-to-house searches in Kuala Lumpur and Penang island to weed out unlicensed foreign maids as the government intensifies a nationwide crackdown on illegal alien workers.

Four maids were detained in Kuala Lumpur and nine more in Penang -- mostly Indonesians and Filipinas -- after they failed to produce valid work permits or had contravened provisions of their contracts.

Immigration deputy director-general Aseh Che Mat warned illegal foreign maids and their employers that the department will be stepping up checks on residences from Saturday, when the deadline expires for all illegal aliens to surrender themselves and go home.

Malaysia, which is facing a severe labor shortage, has between one to two million illegal foreign workers, the bulk of whom are Indonesians at about 500,000, followed by 200,000 Bangladeshis, 100,000 Indians and 50,000 Chinese nationals.