JOHOR BARU, Oct 19 — The Immigration Department is looking at ways to fully employ the use of facial and retina recognition systems as part of the digital identity detection programme to combat falsified Visit Pass-Temporary Employment (PLKS) or fake passports used by foreign workers.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said both the facial and retina will work together with the current biometric system used by the Malaysian Immigration System (myIMMs).

"We are working on its introduction in stages and the digital identity detection programme for the department is expected to be fully implemented by 2021,” he said after closing of a community programme in Taman Perling yesterday.

Nur Jazlan, who is also the Pulai MP, explained that with the digital identity detection programme it will be easier for the authorities to detect and nab those who falsify the PLKS or fake passports for foreign workers.

The fake PLKS and foreign passports offered by syndicates are popular among foreign migrant workers in Malaysia.

Of late, syndicates are used by employers via agents to gain fake documents for their foreign workers for as low as RM1,500.

It is learnt that such documents can be easily forged with modern digital copying equipment.

Nur Jazlan said the ministry was aware of the syndicates as such activity has been going-on for a while.

"The Immigration Department will increase its current surveillance and enforcement techniques to detect and cripple such syndicates.

"In addition to the traditional enforcement methods, the department are also in the midst of utilising part of the digital identity detection programme in stages,” he said.

On scams that use the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to replicate police station phone numbers, Nur Jazlan urged the public to be on the alert.

"The public must instil awareness and to always double-check with the police when in doubt as the scam syndicates always prey on human weaknesses.”

Nur Jazlan said in most cases, the victim will only notice that he or she has been scammed after they have transferred their money.

On another matter, Nur Jazlan said the Home Ministry welcomes an increase in allocation for the police force and the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), two main agencies under the ministry during the coming Budget 2018.

He said the increment was important in order for the police and Nada to function optimally.

"AADK’s role has been recently expanded and a large allocation is needed for the agency to function from training to narcotics test strips, lock-up centres and also Care, Cure and Rehabilitation Centres (CCRC) nationwide,” he said.