A TOTAL OF 237,000 IMMIGRANTS REGULARISED IN 2008 AND 2009 WILL BE REGISTERED USING THE BIOMETRIC SYSTEM AFTER RAYA

Focus on 237,000 illegals next

Kota Kinabalu August 18, 2011: A total of 237,000 immigrants regularised in 2008 and 2009 will be registered using the biometric system after Raya.

This is the next step to be taken by the Immigration Department in Sabah as part of the 5P programme, said State Secretary cum Chairman of 5P programme's main committee at State-level, Datuk Sukarti Wakiman.

He said these immigrants are legal workers recorded by the Immigration Department before the implementation of the biometric system.

"The department will contact the employers of these immigrants so as to meet their legal foreign workers and get their thumb prints using the biometric system.

"We will also carry out the same registration process using the system to immigrants registered before 2008," he said.

Sukarti said this to reporters during a breaking-of-fast gathering and presentation of Raya gifts to orphans and the needy, at the Federal Administration Complex here on Tuesday.

He was commenting on the next step to be taken under the 5P programme - Registration, Amnesty, Monitoring, Enforcement and Deportation- after the registration exercise.

Also present were Sabah Federal Secretary Datuk Muhammad Hatta Ab. Aziz, Sabah Immigration Director Mohammad bin Mentek, Sabah Deputy Commissioner of Police SAC II Tan Kok Liang and other officials.

Sukarti said a decision has yet to be made on whether the dependents of the foreign workers in Sabah should return to their countries of origin.

"We are still looking into this matter and we will announce it once a decision has been made É we will consult the State Government on this issue," he said.

Meanwhile on the Federal move to set the office air-conditioner temperature no lower than 24 degree Celcius to save of on power, Sukarti said the State Government will emulate the move.

"We will follow the Federal move É we will apply this in State government buildings and offices.

"We will issue a circular on the move as it is a national policy that aims to save power and costs," Sukarti said.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin had earlier said the measure would be implemented as soon as the Chief Secretary issues a circular to government offices.

He said a new Act would be tabled in Parliament to enable the private sector to follow suit.

For every degree dropped in air-conditioning temperature, he said, the government can slash its energy bill by between four and seven per cent.

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PEKERJA ASING DI SABAH MESTI DILARANG MEMBAWA TANGGUNGAN, DAN MESTI MENGHANTAR KELUARGA MEREKA PULANG KE NEGARA ASAL MULAI TAHUN INI !