Thaindian News

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 18 (ANI): The youth wing of the Malaysian Indian Congress has asked the government to come out with a clemency programme to register the names of missing foreigners working illegally in the country.

The Malaysian Government is also looking for a holistic solution to the problem of illegal immigrants and people who have overstayed their visa, including 39,000 missing Indian nationals.

The Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association had urged the Government to provide a three-month amnesty period to illegal migrants of Indian origin before going ahead with a planned crackdown on them.

Youth chief T. Mohan said the Government could legalise them and allow them to be employed by local companies in need of workers.

“It would be pointless to deport them. We should think of ways to get them to come out, register and be legal workers in the country,” The Star quoted him, as saying.

Mohan said these illegal workers would not take up the offer if they were required to pay a hefty fine or leave the country.

“We feel a minimal fine and a condition to allow them to work legally in Malaysia for a three-year term would be an attractive incentive,” he said.

Mohan said the Government would also benefit from the levy imposed on the workers.

He was commenting on reports that there were nearly 40,000 Indian citizens missing in Malaysia after their tourist visas expired.

Mohan urged the Government to set up a special committee to identify the reasons for the high number of missing foreigners in the country and recommend appropriate measures to prevent a recurrence. (ANI)