EMPLOYERS, agents and syndicates that hire or facilitate undocumented migrants must face enforcement alongside immigration offenders, with Malaysian Corruption Watch (MCW) warning that action against workers alone will not address the wider problem.
MCW president Jais Abdul Karim said the Immigration Department (JIM) should not be left to tackle the issue on its own, while the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must ensure corruption does not undermine enforcement efforts.
He said Malaysia continued to need lawful foreign labour in certain economic sectors, requiring a balanced approach that considered national security, economic needs, compliance with the law and human rights.
“MCW does not agree with treating all foreigners as undocumented migrants or associating them with criminal activities simply because they live or work in areas identified as hotspots.
“The real issues are breaches of the law, worker exploitation, weaknesses in governance and the risk of corruption that allows illegal activities to continue,” he told Harian Metro recently.
Jais said enforcement should not stop at arresting foreign workers while employers who hired them illegally, profited from their activities or protected the operations escaped action.
“MCW wants enforcement that is comprehensive, conducted with integrity and applied consistently.
“The 224 hotspots are not merely figures to be announced. They should form the basis of an integrated action plan whose effectiveness can be measured,” he said.
He proposed four key measures to strengthen enforcement and accountability.
The first is a secure, effective and integrated complaints mechanism through which members of the public, foreign workers and government officers can report suspected corruption, illegal employment and permit abuse.
Every complaint should receive a reference number, be assessed according to risk and have its follow-up action monitored, he said.
Second, Jais called for stronger whistleblower protection, including effective implementation and improvements to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 to safeguard people who report corruption in good faith.
“Whistleblowers’ identities must be protected in accordance with the law, while threats, job losses and retaliation must be treated seriously,” he said.
He added that foreign workers who witnessed corruption might be reluctant to come forward because they feared losing their jobs or facing immigration action.
Third, investigations should target the entire network involved rather than ending with the arrest of undocumented workers.
“Where there is evidence, action must also be taken against employers, agents, premises owners, syndicates and officers who accept or offer bribes,” he said.
Jais said the MACC, JIM and other enforcement agencies should work together to trace financial flows and identify those benefiting from illegal activities.
His fourth proposal was independent monitoring and public accountability, including regular enforcement performance reports detailing the number of operations, action against employers, case status and the effectiveness of hotspot monitoring.
Such information could be published in aggregate form without compromising confidential investigations or operational security, he said, adding that regular integrity audits should be conducted on high-risk processes, with clear follow-up action on weaknesses identified.
Recent news reports cited that JIM had identified 224 hotspots nationwide linked to the presence and activities of foreign nationals.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the locations covered various categories, including illegal settlements, workers’ quarters at construction sites, business premises dominated by foreign nationals and overcrowded rental properties housing undocumented migrants.
He said the locations required attention and continued enforcement monitoring.
From 2023 to June 15 this year, JIM conducted 16,431 Op Sapu operations targeting various locations, including squatter settlements, workers’ quarters and lodging houses found to be occupied by undocumented migrants, Zakaria said. - October 17, 2026