30-5-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is grappling with an unprecedented influx of migrant worker arrivals, as employers race against time to secure their workforce before a critical deadline. Videos circulating on social media have captured scenes of overcrowding, with throngs of migrant workers occupying gate areas and even resorting to sitting or lying on the floor at the airport’s terminals.
According to a statement released by Malaysia’s Immigration Department on Thursday, the daily arrivals of migrant workers have skyrocketed from the usual 500 to 1,000 to a staggering 2,500 since May 22. On Monday alone, the figure escalated further, reaching between 4,000 and 4,500 arrivals. The department anticipates that this trend will continue until the looming deadline on Friday, May 31.
The Immigration Department attributes this surge to a last-minute scramble by employers to bring in foreign workers before the government’s critical deadline. On March 8, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that employers’ quotas for migrant workers who have not obtained entry visas with reference after March 31 would be canceled. This decision aimed to enable the government to accurately measure the need for foreign manpower in the country before considering the intake of more foreign workers.
The move has drawn criticism from industry players and activists, who argue that the visa application process can take months, raising concerns that the impending deadline could force employers to cut corners when bringing in already vulnerable migrant workers. Since last year, thousands of migrants, predominantly from Bangladesh and Nepal, have found themselves in limbo after arriving in Malaysia, only to discover that the promised jobs in exchange for steep recruitment fees were no longer available.
Despite calls to reverse the decision and maintain the original September 30 deadline, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has cited national security reasons for sticking to the May 31 cutoff date. He stated that the number of foreign workers, based on approved quotas so far, could already hit the government-set limit by the end of May.
Local media reports indicate that there are currently around 2.17 million foreign workers already employed in Malaysia.
In response to the overwhelming situation at KLIA, the Immigration Department has urged employers to be present and cooperate fully to streamline the immigration process for their workers, thereby reducing congestion in the arrival halls. The department has also stated that all migrant workers arriving in Malaysia need to undergo vetting and health check-ups at the airport.
The Immigration Department has joined forces with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, the operator of KLIA, to implement immediate measures aimed at ensuring the comfort of other passengers. These include adding immigration counters and officers to expedite the vetting and validation process, managing the large crowds, and providing food and water for the migrant workers within the airport premises.
The Immigration Department has pledged to continue monitoring and improving the situation, acknowledging the urgent need to address the congestion and ensure a smooth flow of operations at one of Malaysia’s busiest international gateways.
