Category: Legal

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 15 — Applications for the extension of temporary working visit pass (PLKS) for illegal immigrants under the Rehiring Programme will be opened from Dec 20, said Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

He said the government had on Nov 19 agreed that the PLKS holders’ employment period under the Rehiring Programme be extended on a year to year basis up to a maximum of five years, depending on employers’ need.

He said under the Rehiring Programme the PLKS was for five years and since the programme started in 2016, the PLKS would expire in phases from this year until 2024.

“To ensure that employers will not face shortage of workers especially in the 3D (dirty, difficult and dangerous) employment sector, the government has agreed that the PLKS holders’ employment period under the Rehiring Programme be extended year by year up to a maximum of five years,” he said in a statement. today.

The Rehiring Programme is a government initiative aimed at giving illegal immigrants working in Malaysia, the opportunity to have a valid PLKS for a maximum period of five years to meet the manpower needs of the permitted sectors.

Khairul Dzaimee said until Nov 30, the Immigration Department has recorded 185,577 active PLKS under the programme.

To apply for an extension, employees and employers must not violate pass requirements issued for the employment period under the programme.

Workers who have been blacklisted are not eligible to apply for an extension and employees are not allowed to change employers or sectors except through the special approval of the Home Ministry.

“Only employers and authorised employer representatives are allowed to submit applications for PLKS extension which can only be made online through ePLKS@JIM or MyEG,” he said.

Khairul Dzaimee said consideration for the PLKS extension was subject to existing employment of foreign worker procedures.

For futher details on employment period for PLKS workers under the Rehiring Prgramme visit the Immigration Department’s website at www.imi.gov.my.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — The Home Ministry (KDN) will create a new system called ‘eLocker’ in line with efforts to combat human trafficking in the country, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the system would include data on foreigners working in the country, including their personal information, location and employment status.

“When a person enters Malaysia, through this eLocker, we will know his whereabouts, who he is, his family, his village, and if he works here (Malaysia) we will be able to know whether he gets paid or not.

“Also through eLocker, whatever offences committed by the employers, we can definitely take appropriate action as soon as possible,” he said when winding up the debate on the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Amendment) Bill 2021.

Commenting further, Hamzah said the system can also be accessed by countries that contribute their manpower to this country.

The bill was then passed unanimously after being debated by 18 MPs from the government, opposition and Independent blocs.

Earlier, Hamzah said the amendments, among others, involved increasing prison sentences between 15 and 20 years for human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.

He said the punishment for the aggravated offence was proposed to be increased to a maximum jail term of 30 years or similar to life imprisonment and shall also be liable to whipping.

“The proposal to increase the prison sentence which includes whipping shows the government’s seriousness to ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are punished appropriately,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Dec 14 — The Election Commission (EC) has called on the public to go out and vote in the 12th Sarawak state election this Saturday (Dec 18) to fulfil their responsibilities, despite concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Acknowledging that Sarawakians are now worried about the spread of the virus, state EC director, Jasni Jubli, said candidates and representatives of political parties played a role in encouraging the public to fulfil their responsibility to vote.

“The EC is targeting a turnout of 70 per cent … so the EC calls on political parties and the media to encourage people to go out and vote. We know that we are in the COVID-19 pandemic and people are concerned. Among the reasons the turnout is likely to decline in the polls this time is because people everywhere are worried about COVID-19 infection.

“However, I believe, political parties should encourage people to go to the polls to elect their representatives. I am confident that many Sarawakians will go to the polls,” he said.

He said this while being a guest on the Bicara Sarawak programme produced by Bernama TV today.

Meanwhile, Jasni said thus far, the EC had not received any reports of misconduct by candidates in campaigning, and found that the process has been smooth and peaceful.

Regarding the early voting process, which took place from 7.30 am to 5 pm today, he said that as of 4 pm, the early voting percentage was 88 per cent.

Early voting for the polls involved 12,585 military personnel and their spouses, and 10,458 police personnel and members of the GOF and their spouses, which was conducted at 85 early polling centres involving 111 polling streams.

The EC has set the Sarawak polls to be held this Saturday (Dec 18).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Dec 6 – A total of 349 candidates will be contesting in the 82 seats up for grabs in the 12th Sarawak state election, with Dudong having the highest number of eight candidates among the multi-cornered fights.

Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh said there will be six-cornered contests in seven state constituencies, five-cornered (24), four-cornered (33), three-cornered (13) and four straight fights.

“Of the 349 contesting, 304 are men while 45 are women candidates,” he told a media conference at the Sultan Iskandar building here at the end of the nomination process today.

There are a total of 1,252,014 registered voters for the state election.

Abdul Ghani said the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) candidate for Bawang Assan, at 79, is the oldest this time around, while the 24-year-old candidates in Batu Lintang (PKR) and Nangka (Parti Bumi Kenyalang) are the youngest.

He said eight candidates are in their 20s, 37 candidates in their 30s, 50 candidates in their 40s, 113 candidates in their 50s and 141 candidates are aged above 60.

Of the 349 candidates, 82 are representing Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) (73); Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) (70); PKR (28), DAP (26), Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi) (15), Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (11), Amanah (eight), Parti Sedar Rakyat Sarawak (five), PAS (one) and 30 Independent candidates.

Targeting a 70-per cent voter turnout for this state election, Abdul Ghani believes voters in Sarawak will fulfill their civic duty, despite the ongoing wet weather in the state.

“Possible… (to reach 70 per cent). We know the people of Sarawak are responsible enough,” he said.

Earlier this morning, the one-hour-long nomination process from 9 am took place in new normal conditions, without the usual fanfare and vibrancy of political party processions or supporters accompanying the candidates to the nomination centres.

Abdul Ghani said the campaign period for the state election will end at 11.59 pm on Dec 17, adding that some 155 election enforcement teams will be on duty throughout the campaign.

He also said that the decision to allow campaigning in 64 state constituencies was made by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Yesterday, the EC announced that ceramah (political talks) and public speeches will be allowed in 64 constituencies with poor internet access during the campaign period.

In addition, it will not allow interstate travel to Sarawak for campaigning activities, except for the top five leaders of contesting political parties.

Early voting will be held on Dec 14 and polling on Dec 18.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Dec 6 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today opened five operations rooms to enable the public to channel information and complaints on corrupt activities or abuse of power pertaining to the 12th Sarawak State Election.

The MACC said the operations rooms located at its offices in Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, and Limbang, would operate round-the-clock during the election period.

“Apart from that, the public can also lodge any complaints via e-mail to aduan.prnsarawak@sprm.gov.my,” it said in a statement.

In the meantime, the MACC also advises all contesting candidates and political parties against engaging in activities that violate election laws and regulations in accordance with the MACC Act 2009 and the Election Offences Act 1954 (Amendment 2012).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

MARANG, Dec 5 — A total of 23,766 police personnel and their family members have contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic hit the country early last year, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim.

He said of this number, 1,794 were senior police officers, 10,577 were officers of lower ranks, 1,137 were civilian staff and 10,258 were family members of personnel.

“As for fatalities, 39 deaths were recorded, involving four senior officers and 35 junior officers. Three civilian staff and 118 family members of police personnel also succumbed to COVID-19,” he told reporters after a ceremony to hand over a fleet of Toyota Hilux GS Cargo vehicles at the PSP Unit 6 Base in Wakaf Tapai here today.

Mazlan handed over 26 vehicles for the use of district police headquarters (IPD) throughout the state, including for deployment in flood relief operations during the monsoon season.

He said the handover today was part of 400 Toyota Hilux GS Cargo vehicles obtained by the Royal Malaysia Police with an allocation of RM62 million.

Mazlan also said 32 teams in Terengganu involving 65 officers and 190 personnel as well as civilian staff were ready to face flood disasters this monsoon season.

“We are prepared in terms of manpower, having undergone courses and understand procedures to be taken in the event of a flood. We also have acquired the necessary assets, especially boats,” he said.

At the ceremony, Mazlan also announced the construction of 10 units of quarters for police personnel in Pulau Redang with an allocation of RM13 million.

He said construction work on the quarters would begin next year.

“Now there are only eight quarters in Pulau Redang but they are insufficient for 28 officers and staff. Most of them live on the mainland and have to commute by boat to work. So it is very dangerous for their safety, especially during the monsoon,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

MELAKA, Nov 29 — About 86 per cent out of 8,500 buildings nationwide have obtained the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department’s (JBPM) fire certificates (FC), said its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.

These buildings comprised government buildings, industrial and commercial premises, shopping malls, hotels and office buildings.

Mohammad Hamdan said the buildings needed to be inspected and tested for safety in order to be issued with the FC, which has to be renewed every year, in line with the requirements of the Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341).

“States such as Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak have more buildings that need to be inspected in order to obtain the FCs.

“The building should have a fire risk that exceeds certain levels classified under Act 341, and this is important (because) in the event of an emergency, the fire can be prevented or controlled at an early stage,” he told reporters after the presentation of JBPM excellent service awards in Kota Laksamana here, today.

Mohammad Hamdan said some of the buildings were still being inspected as there was a delay in the process due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order.

“We have issued a notice to conduct the inspection but some of them requested a postponement because they want to carry out repair works to the buildings in order to meet the FC requirements,” he said.

At the ceremony, Mohammad Hamdan also presented a takaful scheme and a contribution of RM194,000 to Noraida Che Nor, the widow of the late Mohd Diya Che Jusoh, a firefighter who died after losing consciousness during a flood rescue operation.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency