KOTA KINABALU, Feb 14 — The Sabah Immigration Department, with the consent of the state government, will implement a six-month programme to rehire (Rehiring Programme) illegals, beginning tomorrow.
State immigration department director Musa Sulaiman said under the programme, illegals would have a chance to obtain valid work permits to overcome worker shortage in permitted sectors.
He said the programme would also allow the government to know the actual number of illegals in the country for purposes of monitoring to boost national security.
“The Rehiring Programme will be carried out carefully and in a controlled manner to prevent cheating by irresponsible individuals seeking to profit from the illegals.
“The state government is imposing tight conditions on the illegals and employers taking part in the programme,” he told reporters here today.
Musa said among the conditions which the illegals must comply with included having a record of orderly entry into Malaysia, namely, those who overstayed on Temporary Employment Passes and still working for the same employers.
Also, illegals who had overstayed on Temporary Employment Passes and working with new employers, and illegals who had overstayed on Social Visit Passes and had employers, and did not have criminal records.
According to Musa, the programme catered to only the agriculture, plantation, construction, manufacturing and service sectors.
“This programme only involves Indonesian and Philippine nationals and the state government has appointed Syarikat Inti Padu Tecknology to implement the registration of illegals in Sabah,” he said.
Any query can be referred on working days to the Foreign Workers Division, Kota Kinabalu Immigration Department from 8.30am to 5pm via 088-488586/088-488775 and Syarikat Inti Padu Tecknology at 088-201418/088-201419. — Bernama
