OFWs in Malaysia advised to carry documents, IDs

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur has advised Filipinos to complete their immigration documentation and always carry proper identification documents following the Malaysian government’s biggest crackdown on undocumented foreigners that started last Sunday.

“We wish to remind our Filipino nationals to have proper documents, notably work permit or passport with valid visa, and carry it with them in case of immigration checks, in order to avoid inconvenience. Also, Filipinos who wish to enter Malaysia for work should have approved work permits or similar papers as they start their jobs here,” Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya said.

Malaya made the call as he and Consul General Medardo Macaraig visited Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and other places frequented by Filipinos in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia’s crackdown on undocumented foreigners has resulted in the arrest of 2,433 foreigners so far. Reports said most of them are Indonesians (717), Burmese (555), Bangladeshi (387) and Nepali (229).

“We checked with the immigration detention facility in Putrajaya, and we were informed that Filipinos are not among those arrested and currently held in said facility,” Macaraig said.

On Monday, Malaya called on Minister for Home Affairs Dato Sri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and exchanged views on the concerns of Filipinos in Malaysia, including access to education by Filipino school-aged children.

He also requested humane treatment for Filipinos who may be affected by the campaign against illegal immigrants.

“To ensure that our nationals have the proper documents, the embassy continuously undertakes mobile consular missions, particularly in Sabah, where we provide not just passports but also birth documentations for our nationals there. We deploy twice a month a consular mobile team of six to seven personnel for a two-week stay in Sabah,” Malaya said.

The consular missions visited Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau, Kudat, Keningau, Kota Marudu, Sandakan and other areas.

An embassy consular mission is scheduled to visit Labuan, Miri and Bintulu in Sarawak to also provide consular services to Filipino nationals there.