Malaysia 6P Exercise Finds Two-Thirds of Foreign Workers Are Illegal

Two-thirds of foreign workers in Malaysia are illegal (Asia One)

After being extended twice from the original October 10 deadline, enforcement bodies are ready to weed illegals out of their hiding places and those working in unapproved sectors, freelancing as contractors and plumbers, the two jobs that are not a part of the country's foreign workers' policy.

One of the 6P features that may just do the trick to prevent the influx of immigrants would be the biometric system.

By now, thumbprints of legal workers would have been stored in a database, preventing them from leaving one sector to join another, or deserting an employer in search of a better paying job.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, however, said: "We are still very dependent on them (foreign workers)."

He said businesses continued to clamour for foreign labour.

Malaysia 6P Foreign Worker Registration: After Amnesty, Bosses Face Fines and Jail Time

Bosses who fail to register workers may be jailed or fined (The Star)

Bosses who failed to register their foreign workers under the recent 6P amnesty programme face up to 15 years in jail or a fine of up to RM1mil under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

State Immigration director Nasri Ishak said the department was currently carrying out raids at work places and foreign worker enclaves to comb for errant employers.

“We have caught several employers in Johor Baru, two of whom have more than 100 foreigners working for them. The others have about 20 to 50 workers,” he said after attending the department's open day here yesterday.

The 6P program involves the biometric registration of all foreign workers in Malaysia and an amnesty component. The thinking seems to be that among those who did not register, there may be something illegal about the character of their employment separate from their status with the State Immigration Department.

Malaysia, according to this interactive map, is a Tier 2 country with respect to the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). This status means that (according to the U.S. State Dept.) Malaysia does not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards but is making significant efforts. 6P is one of these efforts.

Malaysia: 2.3m Foreigners Register Under 6P Programme

The 6P programme covers registration, legalisation, amnesty, monitoring, enforcement and deportation (The Malaysia Insider)

Earlier posts on Malaysia and 6P