
NST Leader: The Bangladeshi migrant challenge
But an increasing number of them are in the country to start a syndicate or two or to be part of them, peddling fake immigration services or even sham marriages.
Their initial targets were their countrymen, but as their business grew, the net was cast wider, attracting other foreign nationals as clients or fellow peddlers.
The Immigration Department is rightly worried at the growing number of syndicates of such a nature. So must the nation be.
Only recently, the police arrested 36 Bangladeshi nationals in Selangor and Johor allegedly involved in militant activities in a series of raids that began on April 24.
They were alleged to be part of a network that was raising funds from Bangladeshi migrant workers for terrorist activities in Syria and Bangladesh, with the aim of overthrowing the governments there.
Of the 36, 15 have been deported and the rest have either been charged for terrorism offences or are under detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
This may be a developing story for now, but it has a troubling past in the country.
In 2015, the police arrested five people for being involved in militant networks, one of whom was a Bangladeshi.
The following year, a Bangladeshi restaurateur was arrested for weapons trafficking following an Interpol alert.
In January 2017, two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested — one in Kuala Lumpur and another in Sabah — for alleged involvement with a terror cell in the Philippines.
The presence of the Bangladeshi syndicates and terrorist cells here points to at least two recurring issues: weakness in enforcement and corruption among officers.
One estimate puts the number of Bangladeshi migrant workers legally in the country at 900,000.
And we haven't even added the undocumented Bangladeshi workers being engaged by errant employers.
To be fair to our enforcement agencies, that is one huge number of people to keep an eye on.
But robust oversight can be made to happen at the beginning of the migrant workers' entry into and exit out of the country.
The first is possible by working with the government of Bangladesh in ensuring that only Bangladeshis with squeaky clean records are permitted to work in Malaysia.
Our embassy in Dhaka can provide the extra oversight. But that doesn't mean our enforcement agencies needn't keep an eye on them once they are here.
Even the squeaky clean can be influenced by ideology or money. The second is to make employers responsible for the exit of the migrant workers after their contracts end.
Employing locals will help, too.
Robust enforcement also means getting rid of the undocumented migrant workers of all nationalities in the country, estimated to be between 1.2 and 3.5 million as at December 2022 by the Malaysian Bar.
One of the reasons why there are so many undocumented foreign workers in the country is the prevalence of corruption among enforcement officers.
Two things need to be done to help curb it. One, recruit only officers with integrity.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
RM2,500 stolen in snatch theft: Police apprehend local suspect
KUALA LUMPUR: A local snatch thief was caught after stealing RM2,500 in local and foreign currencies from a foreign woman. Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman said that the bust was made after follow-up action was taken following a foreigner's report of a snatch theft on June 25. "On July 15 at around 4.50pm the police arrested a 34-year-old local suspect in the Setapak area," he said at a press conference on Tuesday (July 29) at the district police headquarters. Checks on the suspect revealed several stolen items: five bank cards, a Pakistani passport, two Malaysian driving licenses and a motorcycle. "Investigations showed that the motorcycle that was seized was reported stolen in the Jalan Pahang area in Wangsa Maju. The suspect also tested positive for methamphetamines," he said. He added that the suspect has been handed over to the Wangsa Maju police. "The police found that the suspect followed his victim's movements and targeted those who were not paying attention and focused on their phones. The suspect also moved around by staying at various budget hotels," he said.


Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
171 foreigners arrested in immigration raid at Jalan Masjid India
Immigration department enforcement director Basri Othman said 758 people, including 254 locals, were questioned during the operation. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : The immigration department arrested 171 foreign nationals in a one-hour enforcement operation around the Jalan Masjid India area, here, today. Immigration department enforcement director Basri Othman said the operation, which began at noon, saw 160 officers questioning 758 individuals, including 254 locals. They also inspected 14 business premises. Those arrested were from India, Bangladesh and Indonesia, and aged between 20 and 50 years old. Basri said they were detained for various immigration violations such as overstaying, violating visa conditions, and not possessing identification documents. He also revealed that some foreigners attempted to disguise themselves as customers to avoid detection, but their efforts were thwarted by the enforcement officers. 'Our officers were in the area from 10am to distinguish between the foreign workers and genuine customers,' he added. All the detainees were taken to the temporary immigration depot in Beranang, Selangor. The immigration department conducted a similar raid in the Jalan Masjid India area on Feb 15.


New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Immigration detains 171 foreigners in Masjid India blitz
KUALA LUMPUR: There was tension in the air amid provocations when 171 foreigners were detained for various offences during an Immigration Department operation at Jalan Masjid India here today. Immigration Department enforcement division director Basri Othman said 14 business premises were inspected in the operation, which involved 160 officers and began at 10am. "The inspections were carried out to ensure that employers comply with regulations by hiring foreign workers with valid work passes. "This is also part of our ongoing efforts to educate the public to only employ foreign workers who have been approved or possess a valid work permit," he said in a press conference after the operation. Basri said 758 individuals were checked, comprising foreign workers, expatriates and Malaysians. Of that number, 171 foreigners were found to have violated immigration laws. "Some attempted to escape, while others provoked our enforcement personnel in an effort to obstruct inspections. "The heavy rain further complicated our task, especially when pursuing those who tried to flee through the back of the premises," he said. He added that among the common tactics used by undocumented migrants was disguising themselves as customers in the area to avoid detection. "Based on initial checks, several individuals were found without valid work passes, travel documents, or had overstayed. "The majority of those detained were from India and Bangladesh, with a smaller number from Indonesia," he said. The foreigners will be sent to the Immigration Detention Depot in Beranang, Selangor. Basri reminded foreigners in the country without valid permits to take advantage of the government's voluntary return programme to leave Malaysia before action is taken against them. "At the same time, we warn employers not to hire undocumented workers. Employers who are found guilty of hiring them will face prosecution in court," he said. — NSTP/HAIRUL ANUAR RAHIM