7 March 2022
All auto gates at international entry points have been reactivated in preparation for the reopening of borders, says Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud.
Immigration officers at international entry points who were previously sent to temporary depots during the pandemic period had been recalled, he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
The auto gates were reactivated on Saturday.
Khairul Dzaimee said the Immigration Department was ready for the reopening of the country’s borders, especially to receive foreign tourists.
Among the main international entry points for this, he added, were the KL International Airport (KLIA) and the Sultan Iskandar Building in Johor.
“On March 5, all auto gates were reactivated and officers at international entry points who were previously sent to temporary depots during the pandemic period were recalled,” he said during a joint operation with the Johor Immigration Department on Saturday night.
The department, said Khairul Dzaimee, expected an increase in the entry of foreign tourists, adding that control would be tightened to ensure there was no abuse of the social visit passes or overstaying.
“They (tourists) must submit proof that they have a place to stay in Malaysia, sufficient amount of money and a travel itinerary,” he said.
On Saturday’s operation, he said three premises here were raided, including a factory in Senai Industrial Park where 185 foreign workers were inspected.
A total of 64 Indian nationals registered under the Labour Recalibration (RTK) programme were arrested for working in unauthorised sector.
“Government policy does not allow Indian nationals to work in factories. They can only work in certain sectors.
“Preliminary investigations found that all the detained Indian workers were registered under the RTK programme in April 2021. We suspect that the factory used the services of agents to register the workers,” said Khairul Dzaimee.
He said 16 workers from Nepal, Myanmar (three) and Bangladesh (two) were also detained for not having valid documents.
A total of 14 Thais, a Laos national and a Myanmar national were also detained in a raid at two spa centres that offered prostitution services.
All those detained were taken to the Immigration lock-up and the employers involved would be investigated under Section 55E of the Immigration Act.
Source: www.thestar.com.my
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