Illegal Pinoys in Malaysia Urged to Return Home as Crackdown Looms

As Malaysia effects the second wave of crackdown against illegal foreign nationals on January 21, the Philippine officials there has urged undocumented Filipinos in the country to voluntarily return to the Philippines.

Philippine Ambassador Eduardo Malaya, in a statement on Thursday, said that those who have no legal status in Malaysia are advised to take a voluntary return to the Philippines as Malaysian authorities hinted that those who will leave voluntarily will be spared from prosecution but will have to pay a fine for over staying.

The crackdown is expected to affect foreign workers from Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, India, Bangladesh and the Philippines.

Reports said the Philippine Embassy has reminded Filipinos to complete their immigration papers and always carry proper identification amid crackdown.

The Philippines is among the biggest foreign labor workforce in Malaysia.

Malaysia, which initiated crackdown against undocumented foreign workers on September last year, announced the second wave of crackdown in January 10 and recently banned foreign workers from working in fast-food establishments as it sets to prioritize the hiring of its own nationals.

Malaya said those who will be caught by authorities will be detained and will face deportation proceedings. They will also be subjected to biometric fingerprint registration to ensure they would not be able to return under a different name.

Malaya also reminded Filipino nationals to make sure that their work or immigration documents are in order, especially work permits and passport with valid visa, to avoid inconvenience in case of immigration checks.

The Ambassador also asked employers and agents to hand over to their Filipino employees any passport and other identification documents for the workers’ safety and protection.

Thousands of Filipinos are in Malaysia in a quest to improve their lives, where most of them undocumented and reside in Sabah, a Malaysian controlled state also claimed by the Philippine government. Most of the undocumented Filipinos in Sabah came from poor municipalities like Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

Hundreds of Filipino workers in Malaysia takes a backdoor entry to Sabah through Mindanao.

Source: Gma News Online

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