Migrant workers to get special IDs in November

The Home Ministry is to issue a special identification card with high security features difficult to emulate to all migrant workers in the country by Nov 15.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the card would be issued in stages to all the 2.5 million migrant workers in the country.

The high security features incorporate biometrics and bar code, which would make it easy for the Immigration Department to detect illegal migrant workers.

It would also come in different colours to identify the workers in the various sectors of employment and the cost would be borne by the holder.

Ahmad Zahid added, the more sophisticated i-card could store much more data about the holder than the previous identification document and could be examined easily by the security authorities.

However he says, authorities would continue to press on with the operation to haul up illegal migrant workers even after issuing the i-card.