KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia plans to launch its biggest ever crackdown on an estimated 500,000 illegal foreign workers, local media said on Wednesday.
According to Immigration Department Director General Alias, the authorities would seek to deport illegal foreign workers, mostly from the country’s vast and less-developed neighbour Indonesia, under the three-month operation which would involve 135,000 personnel.
The operation would start from Sunday, Alias added.
In Malaysia, generally foreigners are not seen as a key source of crime, but the presence of large numbers of undocumented workers has fuelled security concerns.
In recent months, the violence has added to a widespread public perception of rising crime such as thefts, burglaries, and robberies in the country.