The perception that Malaysia is flooded with undocumented foreign workers needs to be corrected, says Immigration Department director-general Zakaria Shaaban.
He said members of the public often form the wrong impression after seeing large groups of foreigners gathering in certain parts of Kuala Lumpur during weekends or public holidays.
“People immediately assume the country has become a hub for illegal foreign workers,” he told reporters after attending the Jelajah Wira Madani Semarak Aidiladha programme at the Millennium Temporary Depot in Beranang on Wednesday.
Zakaria stressed that such assumptions are inaccurate, noting that Malaysia currently has more than three million foreign workers holding valid permits and passes.
He added that social media may have contributed to the misunderstanding, claiming that some influencers tend to exaggerate situations in pursuit of attention and viral content.
Between Jan 1 and Monday, the Immigration Department carried out 5,010 enforcement operations nationwide, resulting in the arrest of 17,313 undocumented foreigners.
According to Zakaria, the two most common offences detected were overstaying and misuse of immigration passes.
Authorities also detained 789 employers suspected of harbouring or hiring undocumented foreign workers.
He said the department remains committed to intensifying enforcement efforts and vowed that action would be taken without fear or favour.
Zakaria also urged the public to cooperate with authorities by providing information related to immigration offences.
