Dr Rishi Raj Adhikari, Nepal´s ambassador to Malaysia, on Monday urged Hishammuddin Hussain, Malaysian home minister, to make arrangement for recording fingerprints of the illegal workers who were blissfully unaware of the amnesty program, in the biometric system. Malaysia had launched a massive drive to keep fingerprint records of all illegal workers in August.

 

The Nepali envoy´s request comes amidst fears of crackdown on illegal Nepali workers whose fingerprints have not been recorded by the Malaysian authorities in the biometric system. Illegal workers, undocumented in the biometric database, can face severe penalties, apart from being deported to Nepal, by the Malaysian authorities. 

 

"Dozens of illegal Nepali workers did not turn up for getting their fingerprints recorded," Dr Adhikari said. "Most of them were convinced by their employers that they would not face any kind of legal action even if they ignored the amnesty drive. They are now scared; and in real trouble. We have, therefore, tried to persuade the Malayaian government into giving them another chance."

 

According to Dr Adhikari, some 40 Nepali workers, who do not have passports or have overstayed their visas, have so far contacted the Nepali embassy in Kuala Lumpur, begging for another chance to get their fingerprints recorded in the biometric database. "More workers can contact us for the same reasons in the days to come," said Dr Adhikari. "We hope Malaysia will understand their predicaments." 

 

Previously, Malaysia had ordered all illegal migrant workers, who had wished to return home by obtaining travel documents while having their fingerprints recorded in the biometric system, to leave the country by October-end. The Malaysian authorities did not take any action against those illegal Nepali workers who left the country before October 31. 

 

In the first review meeting of the amnesty program participated by envoys of five major countries that supply laborers to Malaysia, on Monday, Nepali ambassador Dr Adhikari informed the Malaysian authorities that 5,500 Nepali illegal workers have returned home. 

 

Of the total 33,000 illegal Nepali workers documented by the authorities in the biometric system, some 27,000 illegal workers have chosen to stay back by starting the legalization process. Malaysia aims to legalize all documented illegal workers by January next year.

 

The amnesty drive has also helped the Nepali embassy to figure out the exact number of Nepali workers legally working in Malaysia. According to Dr Adhikari, some 221,000 Nepalis are working legally in Malaysia.