KL to grant amnesty to illegals

KL to grant amnesty to illegals

MALAYSIA: Kuala Lumpur will grant an amnesty with immediate
effect to thousands of illegal immigrants, mainly Indonesians, if
they surrender voluntarily, according to a report on Wednesday.

"They will be allowed to return home without being punished,"
Chor Chee Heung, the Malaysian deputy home minister was quoted as
saying by the New Straits Times newspaper.

Chor said the amnesty was introduced because under the new
proposed amendments to the Immigration Act, illegal immigrants
caught could be whipped, "so we are giving them a chance to leave
without being punished."

The stiff amendments are expected to be passed during the
current sitting of the legislature. Malaysia granted a similar
amnesty in 1998.

On March 10, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said
the government had no intention to hold illegal immigrants at
detention centers for long periods because it was costly. --AFP