IT is not “stupid” to legalise undocumented migrants in the labour force, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) told Human Resource Minister M. Saravanan today. 

The rights group said it was disturbing that such a claim had been put forth by a minister who is supposedly committed to addressing issues of forced labour.

“The minister’s reaction is simplistic, superficial and ignores the root causes of the entry of undocumented migrants into the country,” LFL coordinator Zaid Malek said in a statement today. 

“Undocumented migrants are largely victims of circumstances beyond their control; they are not deliberate offenders against our immigration laws. 

“Having been duped by deceitful agents or unscrupulous employers, they have become ‘illegal’ as a result,” he added. 

Last week, Saravanan called proposals to legalise undocumented immigrants in the workforce a “stupid idea”.

He said the right course of action would be to deport the immigrants back to their country of origin.

“It is a stupid idea (to legalise undocumented aliens). When someone comes illegally to your country, you must deport them. If illegals come to your country (and) you legalise them, you will have more and more illegals coming to the country.

“We should not do anything that encourages illegals to come to our country,” he was reported as saying.

Zaid today said the government must face the fact that the majority of undocumented migrants in Malaysia are a result of our inadequate labour policies and weak or corrupt enforcement. 

“Their irregular status is an administrative offence that has no victims, except themselves. 

“In fact, considering the manner and treatment they suffer in getting into Malaysia, the workers themselves could be considered as trafficked victims. 

“Simply deporting them would be cruel and unjust as it would be placing fault on those exploited whilst the agents and employers responsible escape with a slap on the wrist.”

Coming to Malaysia would have cost them greatly and being deported would cause them financial ruin, or worse, injury and even death death at the hands of loan sharks, Zaid added.

And as Malaysia depends heavily on foreign labour, their repatriation would leave a gap in the labour force. 

“It would be easier, more humane and more cost-effective to legalise those who are already here.” – June 21, 2022.