KUCHING: The Sarawak Immigration Department will carry out a large-scale enforcement operation against immigrants working in the state after the registration period for the Labour Recalibration Programme (RTK) 2.0 ends on December 31.
Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring), Datuk Gerawat Gala, today (December 11) reminded illegal immigrants and employers to take the opportunity to register under the programme by dealing directly with the state Immigration Department and the state Labour Department.
"For registration procedures under the RTK 2.0, employers need to apply online via the Immigration Department's portal at www.imi.gov.my by clicking on the link: PORTAL REKALIBRASI. No deposit fee is charged to the employer after the registration process.
"Employers who are found to be employing illegal immigrants will be punished under Section 55B(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 which is a fine of not less than RM10,000 but not more than RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or both, for every illegal immigrant employed," he said in the statement.
He said that immigrants who are allowed to be registered under the RTK 2.0 are those who have committed an offence on or before December 31, last year, under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 196.
He said that the programme, launched on July 26, aimed to regularise illegal immigrants in Sarawak as legal foreign workers based on the conditions set by the state government.
Eligible employers are those who employ foreign workers involved in 3D (dangerous, difficult and dirty) sectors covering manufacturing, construction, plantations, agriculture, services, mining and quarrying, as well as foreign domestic workers.
Apart from that, only illegal immigrants from 16 source countries are allowed, namely Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, India, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China. — Bernama