PAYING RM400 FINE, ILLEGAL CAN GO HOME

PUTRAJAYA: Illegal immigrants who failed to register under the 6P amnesty programme can return to their countries of origin by paying a compound of RM400 and a check out memo said the Immigration Department director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad.

Nonetheless, he said illegal immigrants must be holding valid passports.

Currently, about 100 to 200 illegal immigrants come to the Immigration Department here daily to apply for checkout memos in order to return to their countries.

"I expect the number to increase as the Hari Raya approaches," he told reporters here at the launch of the Merdeka Month celebrations by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, National Audit Department and the Immigration Department here on Tuesday.

Also present at the ceremony was the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang.

Meanwhile, Alias said during the festive season, more officers would be assigned at entry points and hotspots to step up enforcement.

"As the Hari Raya approaches, more illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries will return to their villages by land or sea. We should focus on that. We will also station more enforcement and intelligence officers during the festival, although their number has not been finalised.

"We are also cooperating with the security forces, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the General Forces, to step up enforcement at all entry points," he said. (Bernama)