As many as 47 Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia have been detained in recent raids of its Immigration Department for violation of its visa rules.

According to The Star, a local English daily, a total of 338 foreigners including Nepalis were detained after immigration officers had raided a factory in Cyberjaya, a town in Selangor state.

Among those arrested during the operation also include 55 Bangladeshi men, 36 men and 172 women from Indonesia, 25 men and three women from Myanmar and 47 Nepali male migrant workers.

According to Mustafar Ali, the Director General of the Immigration Department, these foreign workers were detained for misusing temporary foreign workers permit (PLKS).

“We checked 2,230 people at the location and detained 338 foreigners. Most of them were detained for using temporary foreign worker permit (PLKS) belonging to different companies,” the daily quoted Mustafar as saying.

PLKS is a Temporary Employment Visit Pass given to foreigners who wish to work in Malaysia. The ongoing investigation into the case has shown that some companies had allowed foreign workers, registered with them, to work elsewhere.

“The employer and company owner had openly flouted immigration rules and regulations pertaining to the hiring of foreign workers,” Director General Mustafar told The Star, adding, “The employer took the easy route despite knowing that those with PLKS must work at the address or location stated in their permits.”

As per the Malaysian immigration rules, the workers could be detained and their permits revoked if they were found to have worked at a place not stated in their permits.

Details of the detained Nepali workers were not immediately available.

Thousands of undocumented migrant’s workers, including Nepalis, benefitted from the general amnesty that the Malaysian authority had offered until August 30.

According to the Nepal Embassy in Malaysia, nearly 15,000 illegal Nepali workers had applied for the general amnesty to return Nepal this year. By doing so within the deadline, they could skip heavy fines and other legal consequences.

Workers staying back past their visa expiration dates and those running away from their first employer and working with other employer without valid work permit become illegal or undocumented workers.

Published On: 23 September 2018 | The Kathmandu Post