PUTRAJAYA: The Immigration Department has collected RM91.78 million in compounds involving 32,052 people for offences under immigration laws from Jan 1 to Oct 31 this year.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said of the total, RM50.04 million involved 2,459 employers, while the remaining RM41.74 million involved 29,593 undocumented migrants.
He said the figures showed that immigration enforcement was not solely focused on undocumented migrants, but also involved action against employers who violated regulations governing the employment of foreign workers.
“This means that 54.5 per cent of the total compound amount collected involved employers.
“This figure is important because immigration enforcement should not be viewed solely through action against undocumented migrants, but also through action against those who violate regulations governing the employment of foreign workers,” he said in a Facebook post today.
He said the presence of foreigners staying or working in the country without valid documents remained a concern, not only in terms of compliance with immigration laws but also the management of foreigners, as well as public safety and order.
He said such concerns deserved attention, but the public also needed to understand that efforts to address the issue involved various forms of enforcement action, including action against employers who committed immigration offences.
He said addressing the issue of undocumented migrants required public cooperation, including providing the authorities with information on activities suspected of violating immigration regulations.
He said public cooperation must operate within a clear legal framework, while enforcement action could only be carried out by agencies empowered to do so under the law.