A total of 269 employers were charged for offences related to foreign workers under the Immigration Act 1959/63 from 2007 to 2009, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said Immigration Department statistics showed in 2007, 61 employers were brought to book while for 2008 and 2009, the figures were 64 and 144 respectively.
 
NONE"Employers' responsibilities and role in the hiring of foreign workers also needs to spelt out in further detail. They are not limited to matters contained in the Immigration Act and other regulations," he said in a statement.

Towards this end, he said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is the chairman of the cabinet committee on foreign workers, would be given a special briefing on issues related to foreign workers in the country on Tuesday.
 
He said the briefing was to update the deputy prime minister on the role played by the recently-set up special committee for the management and monitoring of Foreign Workers (JIPP Warga Asing), which is chaired by himself. 

Holistic approach needed
     
Hishammuddin said efforts to stop the influx of foreign workers and illegal immigrants needed a holistic approach in line with his ministry's aim to make the issue one of its main agendas for this year.

"The efforts should not focus only on the aspects of enforcement but also comprehensive vetting before foreign workers are allowed to come into the country," he said, adding that it would need an integrated approach involving other ministries and government agencies. 
   
"We realise there is an urgent need to improve the aspects of enforcement through formulation of new strategies taking into consideration the in and out movements and mobility of illegal immigrants in Malaysia," said Hishammuddin.

- Bernama