The Malaysian authorities will start arresting all illegal immigrants, including Nepalis, from early morning tomorrow, as the southeast Asian government begins cracking down on migrant workers, who have overstayed their visa.

According to a press statement issued by the Nepali embassy in Kuala Lumpur, all security agencies will be deployed to arrest illegal workers, and those rounded up will be deported. “But those who are in the process of returning home country with travel documents and tickets will not be arrested,” said the statement.

Earlier in September, around 1,000 illegal Nepalis job aspirants were arrested by the Malaysian police following launch of similar crackdown. The operation was launched after many illegal migrants who had enrolled for amnesty in 2011 later ‘disappeared’. Around 400,000 Nepalis are currently employed in Malaysia.

Published on: 21 January 2014 | The Himalayan Times