JOHOR BARU: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will personally ask the Human Resources Minister about the exact number of illegal foreign workers in the country.

He said he would ask Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem during the Cabinet meeting tomorrow where he got the figures from.

Dr Ahmad Zahid was responding to questions on news reports quoting Riot on the presence of six million illegal workers in the country, of which about 40% were undocumented.

“Last year, he (Riot) told us there were four million illegal foreign workers in the country, and now the figure has jumped to six million.

“It is a big jump in just a year,” he told reporters after chairing a closed-door meeting of the Malay­sian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) here.

Separately, Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is Home Minister, said the overall national crime index declined from 85,739 cases in 2015 to 85,049 cases as of September this year.

However, armed gang robberies rose from 46 cases in the first nine months of 2015 to 50 cases this year, while cases involving other types of robberies and snatch thefts also increased during the same period.

Murder cases went down from 388 cases in 2015 to 349 this year, while the number of house break-ins and theft of motorcycles and cars also decreased.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also MCPF chairman, said a national-level town hall meeting involving community leaders would be held soon to discuss crime prevention programmes.

“The police and MCPF will also hold coordination meetings every two months on improving strategies to reduce the crime index.

“They have to report to me directly on the outcome of the meetings,” he added.

On another matter, Dr Ahmad Zahid said the new automated border control system for motorcycles (MBIKE) is expected to reduce congestion by 50% on motorcycle lanes at the Johor side of the Causeway and the Second Link Crossing in Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah.

The new system, which is scheduled to be launched next month, will shorten the processing time to check passports of Malaysian motorcyclists passing through the two links.

“The system will be introduced at the two main CIQs (Customs, Immig­ration and Quarantine complex) in Johor to tackle the growing traffic issues faced by commuters daily, especially during peak hours,” he said during a visit to Bangunan Sultan Iskandar CIQ here.

On Monday, The Star reported that hundreds of motorcyclists were detained for trying to enter or leave the country without stopping to present their passports at the 150 Immigration counters at the two main checkpoints.

With the MBIKE system, motorcyclists have to place their thumb on the reader before the gantry gate opens.

Dr Ahmad Zahid also directed the Immigration Department and vendors to set up special lanes for superbikers as the current lanes were unsuitable for big bikes.

“Twelve percent of the motorcyclists using the Causeway and Second Link are superbike owners,” he said, adding that some 60,000 motorcyclists commuted between the Johor Baru and Singapore daily.

TAGS / KEYWORDS:
Government , mcpf , crime index , dr ahmad zahid hamidi

Source:
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/10/20/dpm-to-ask-riot-about-figures-zahid-rise-in-illegal-foreign-workers-by-two-million-a-big-jump/