Malaysia blames illegal immigrants for crimes

Malaysia has blamed hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants for the growing number of crimes in Sabah, the Malaysian embassy said in a statement which reached southern Philippines.

Illegal immigrants, including the Filipinos, were involved in illegal activities in Sabah, the embassy added but did not elaborate on the number of Filipinos involved in crimes in the Malaysian island.

Confirming the report, some deportees who have recently arrived in Zamboanga City said many illegal Filipino immigrants in Sabah were engaged in smuggling and illegal drugs. The police, too, have linked these illegal Filipino immigrants to robberies in Sabah.

They are also accused of bringing with them infectious diseases, sources said. However, details were not given.

At the same time, the embassy said Kuala Lumpur has decided to get overseas workers not only from the Philippines, but from other countries as well.

"To ensure that foreign workers of the same nationality do not dominate the labour market in Malaysia, the government has decided to diversify its recruitment from its present sources to include workers from countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam," the statement said.

The embassy has blamed the Filipino deportees, who opted to return to the Philippines on the last days of the amnesty period, for clogging ports.

The Malaysian government gave ample time to illegal workers to leave the country voluntarily, the embassy said.

It has announced that undocumented Filipinos arrested for violation of the immigration laws will face up to six lashes in public.

The Malaysian parliament passed a bill in April 2000, which called for amnesty for illegal workers.
Explaining the ongoing crackdown, the embassy said, "The latest action by the Malaysian government to deal with the problem of a massive influx of foreign workers and illegal immigrants was long overdue.

"It is intended to ensure the safety, security and well-being of all Malaysians, as well as foreigners who are legally residing or working in Malaysia."

It also said authorities in Sabah have treated all the deportees in the same way.

Abdullah Sani, Sabah's immigration chief expressed surprise over claims by the Philippines that illegal Filipino workers were being ill-treated at the temporary detention centres, in Sabah.

"We have not received any complaints from their officials here," Abdullah told the New Sabah Times, the copy of which reached Zamboanga City. "Such a claim is indeed surprising because we treat all immigration detainees in accordance with our regulations," Sani added.

The Filipino embassy officials in Kuala Lumpur regularly check the conditions of the deportees, he said, adding, "Even the Indonesian illegal immigrants at the detention centres are given the similar treatment.

"Malaysia has been very just and fair in its treatment accorded to all foreign workers. The Malaysian labour laws do not discriminate foreign workers from the Malaysians," the embassy said.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Blas Ople recently summoned Malaysian Ambassador Taufik Mohammed Noor over the alleged mistreatment of the deportees. Ople expressed his concern over their condition.

On the other hand, Filipino politicians and rights groups have criticised Malaysia for its harsh treatment to the deportees.