Immigration warns illegals who run homestay businesses

Mustafar says stern action will be taken against these illegals. (Youtube screengrab)

PORT DICKSON: The Immigration Department will not compromise with those employing illegal immigrants to carry out unlicensed lodging or homestay businesses in the country.

Director-General Mustafar Ali said the department was working closely with the Companies Commission of Malaysia, the domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism ministry, Inland Revenue Board and local authorities to curb such activities.

“Stern action will be taken against the workers. As for the employers who harbour and hire the foreign workers, they will face action under the Immigration Act 1959,” he told reporters here yesterday.

He was commenting on the arrest of 28 Bangladeshi nationals after they were found to be running an illegal homestay business in Kuala Lumpur’s golden triangle last Thursday.

Earlier, Mustafar officiated the passing out parade of newly trained Immigration officers at the Army Academy.

Meanwhile the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Klang District 4, detained two local B-class fishing boats with unauthorised foreign workers about 10 nautical miles from Westport, Port Klang, on Friday.

Deputy Director (Operation) Commander Mohd Iszuadi Mohamad Hassan said two local skippers and eight crew members, comprising Indonesian and Myanmar nationals aged between 22 and 38 years, were arrested at 1.05pm.

He said apart from not having valid identification documents, all eight foreign workers did not have any permit to work from the Fisheries Department. -FMT