No Extension For 6P Programme After Saturday Dateline - Home Ministry

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The Home Ministry has no plans to extend the 6P legalisation programme for foreign workers and illegal immigrants after the Saturday dateline. Home Ministry Deputy Minister Lee Chee Leong said the government had accorded sufficient liberty since Oct 10 last year for the process at eight centres in a number of states. He said however, that employers who were still awaiting approval of documents/passports from any embassy would be allowed to deal directly with the centres after the date. "We were informed that there had been a delay in obtaining passports and travel documents. So even if the approval came after Jan 10, we will still process the legalisation of their workers on condition that they had registered earlier," he told reporters after visiting the 6P Programme's one stop centre at the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry's multi-purpose hall here on Thursday. Also present was Immigration Department senior deputy secretary-general Alwi Ibrahim. Lee said to date, 133,156 foreign workers and illegal immigrants of 16,680 employers had undergone the process with the highest figure recorded at the Putrajaya Immigration department's one stop centre, comprising 118,457 workers engaged by 13,387 employers. He added that the Home Ministry's complex at Seberang Jaya, Penang received applications from 1,325 employers for 4,759 workers, followed by the ministry's Johor Baharu complex with applications from 1,022 employers for 4,583 workers. The Putrajaya National Registration department received applications from 530 employers for 2,760 workers, Precinct 15 Immigration department (167 employers for 1,407 workers), Jalan Duta complex (175 employers for 943 workers)and the Port Klang Immigration department received applications from 60 employers for 208 workers. Meanwhile, the ministry's latest legalisation centre at the Kuantan mini complex, which opened on Wednesday has received applications from 14 employers for 39 workers, said Lee. -- BERNAMA Malaysia