KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — The Immigration Department has set August 30 for the registration of foreign workers in the country and will not budge from that deadline, its director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said.

He emphasised that all avenues to legalise foreign workers in the country will end August 30 and his department will embark on operations immediately after that to weed out illegal immigrants.

"The period for the avenues must end and some point. How long are we going to extend it?" he told Malay daily Sinar Harian in an interview published today.

He said the operations should be seen as an application of the spirit of "Merdeka” to free the country from foreign elements. August 31 marks the independence of peninsular Malaysia from colonial British rule.

"We want to apply the spirit of Merdeka by freeing the country from foreign elements who attempt to break into and divide the nation,” Mustafar was quoted saying.

He said his department will ensure no compromise to the sovereignty and the security of the country.

The government had earlier initiated a rehiring programme to enable unregistered foreigners without the necessary permits to be registered in order to continue working in selected sectors. The deadline for the rehiring programme ended June 30.

However, the government has another initiative, known as the 3+1 programme, which will end August 30. Under it, unregistered foreign workers are encouraged to turn themselves over to the authorities though they will be fined RM400 and be allowed to return to their home country without being blacklisted.

Mustafar said the rehiring programme had given adequate time to employers to register their foreign workers.