Efforts to 'legalise' illegal immigrants send wrong message - MTUC

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) said the government’s issuance of the Temporary Foreign Worker cards to illegal immigrants (PATI) who are employed in this country sends a wrong message to employees and employers.

MTUC president Abdul Halim Mansor said the system was at risk of being abused by illegal immigrants.

"If we take the action to legalise immigrants, this will complicate matters as workers given the permits will encourage their families to come and wait until they are arrested, and subsequently become undocumented foreign workers," he said on Hari Ini 8, tonight.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said that the move was aimed at monitoring illegal immigrants and at the same time ensuring the operations of those already employing such workers would not be disrupted.

Abdul Halim said the fact that card has to be renewed every year will force the employers to pay their employees’ levy, insurance and social benefits.

However, currently there are some employers who take advantage of the situation by hiring undocumented workers to avoid these charges, Abdul Halim added.

"Illegal workers technically enter the country with documents, but for some reasons they run away from their employers and remain in our country.

"What we see here is employers taking the easy way out by hiring illegal workers who were originally documented. Indirectly, they are getting 'discounts' because they do not have to pay for Socso and Employees Provident Fund (EPF)."