PONTIAN, Oct 25 — The government hopes to implement a holistic five-year enforcement plan next year to tackle the problem of illegal immigrants.

Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the plan was now being drawn up by a special committee and expected to be completed by the end of this year.

“We are preparing the plan. At the ministry level, there is a committee which will present it to me, and we hope to implement the plan to manage the illegal immigrants within five years,” he told reporters after attending an inter-department and agency gathering under the ministry at the Pontian District Police Headquarters here today.

He said the plan will look at all aspects, including the laws, enforcement, standard operating procedure in managing illegal immigrants, as well as look at the assets which can help enforcement and management.

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The plan will also require the cooperation of the state governments, local authorities and village community management councils.

“We also have to look at the detention centres in terms of capacity, management and others. At present, there are insufficient (detention centres)... there are only 18 which can only accommodate up to 10,000 to 12,000 illegal immigrants.

“So there are many things we have to look at, we expect to start implementation by next year. 2020 will be the year where we will see how this (plan) will be implemented,” Muhyiddin, who is also Pagoh Member of Parliament, said.

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Last June, in a statement, the Home Ministry announced a plan as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the management and enforce to resolve the problem of illegal immigrants in this country. — Bernama