KOTA BHARU: The Kelantan Immigration Department has detained 90 employers for allegedly hiring or harbouring undocumented migrants during the first nine months of this year.
Director Mohamed Yusoff Khan Mohd Hassan said the employers would be investigated under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act for providing protection to employees known to be violating the law.
All detentions resulted from 483 enforcement operations that inspected 3,442 individuals.
During these operations, 1,524 migrants were also detained for various immigration offences.
A total of 2,109 individuals, including foreign prisoners, were deported during the same period.
Mohamed Yusoff Khan stated that convicted employers could face fines between RM10,000 and RM50,000.
Cases involving more than five migrants may include imprisonment of six months to five years and up to six strokes of the cane.
Employers could also face action under Section 55E of the Immigration Act with fines from RM5,000 to RM30,000 or imprisonment up to 12 months per worker.
“For the offence of employing migrants without a valid pass under Section 55B, the offender can be fined RM10,000 to RM50,000 or imprisoned not exceeding 12 months for each worker,“ he said.
Common migrant offences include overstaying, not possessing valid passes, violating pass conditions, and involvement in migrant smuggling.
According to Mohamed Yusoff Khan, 763 cases have been brought to prosecution this year.
Compound collection from enforcement actions until September reached RM1.2 million, excluding court-imposed fines. – Bernama
