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Illegal immigrants are detained by the Immigration Department following raids carried out at Selayang Baru in Kuala Lumpur May 14, 2020. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Foreign workers nabbed throughout MCO without valid documents, says senior minister

PUTRAJAYA, May 29 — All foreign workers nabbed during the enforcement period of the movement control order (MCO) since March 18 did not have valid travel documents, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the foreigners should have a travel document or i-Kad if they had entered the country legally.

“Those who were arrested have no documents. Employers should not hold the documents but they can issue i-Kad (for their workers).

“The i-Kad is a substitute for the identification documents and if these workers were arrested by the authorities such as immigration officers, they can show their i-Kad. Then they will not be considered as illegal immigrants,” he told a daily press conference on the conditional MCO here today.

He, however, admitted that some employers did keep their employees’ documents because they were afraid their workers might run away. — Bernama