KL to whip illegal immigrants

KL to whip illegal immigrants

MALAYSIA: Malaysia is stepping up a crackdown on illegal immigrants by planning to whip foreigners entering the country without valid documents, even for a first offense, newspapers in Kuala Lumpur reported on Sunday.

Currently, only second-time offenders are liable to be whipped.

The New Straits Times quoted Immigration Department Director- General Mohd Jamal Kamdi as saying changes to the Immigration Act would go to parliament next March.

Malaysia, a country of 23 million people, is a favored destination for illegal immigrants from more populous, poorer Asian countries such as Indonesia and Bangladesh. --Reuters