Illegal immigrants in Sarawak will be given the option of leaving the state voluntarily or being legalised as workers under a state government programme which will be implemented from March 15 to June 30. – File photo
KUCHING (March 3): Illegal immigrants in Sarawak will be given the option of leaving the state voluntarily or being legalised as workers under a state government’s programme which will be implemented from March 15 to June 30.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the state government has approved the implementation of Recalibration Programme for illegal immigrants (Pati).
“This programme will start from March 15 to June 30. The SOP is available from the state Immigration Department and also the state Labour Department,” he said during a press conference on Covid-19 updates.
State Immigration director Datuk Ken Leben, when giving the details of the recalibration programme, explained that the the programme covers two components.
“The first is return recalibration programme which is to allow Pati who are in Sarawak to return to home country voluntarily and subjected to certain conditions.
“The second component is employment recalibration, which is to legalise Pati by turning them into employable workers and subject to conditions set. This is the programme that state government sets from March 1 to June 30,” he said.
On the criteria for the first programme, which is to allow Pati to return home, Ken said that they must be among those with the offences of overstaying, without valid pass or documents, and misuse of pass.
“However, for those with the first two offences, they must pay a compound of RM500 before they can return home, while for the offence of misuse of pass, they will be compounded RM300.
“This is applicable to any Pati present in Sarawak of any nationality,” he said.
As for the employment recalibration programme, Ken said only those with two offences are allowed, which are overstayed and misuse of pass.
“The criteria for this programme is that the employer will have to pay a recalibration fee of RM1,500, which is compulsory for each of the Pati that the employer wants to engage or re-engage.
“In addition, they also have to pay RM500 deposit and other existing levy payment according to each sector. The employers know. We will also prepare the FAQ (frequently asked question), which will be available on our Facebook,” he said.
Employers who are allowed to employ these Pati are those in the sectors of construction, manufacturing, plantation and agriculture, and three subsectors that the state government has identified which are services, quarries and mining, and domestic help.
Pati in detention centres are not eligible for the programme.
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