JAKARTA - Malaysia’s National Registration Department (JPN) detained 36 people believed to be Indonesian nationals during Ops Kisar at a frozen-food processing factory in Pulau Indah, Klang, on June 24 after detecting suspected misuse of Malaysian identity cards, the department said in an official Facebook post.
JPN said the operation targeted foreign nationals suspected of using fake identity cards or identity cards belonging to other people. The department said all detainees were taken to JPN Putrajaya for further investigation under Regulation 25(1)(e) of the National Registration Regulations 1990.
The case centred on alleged document misuse to obtain factory work. A related post by Malaysia’s Home Ministry said JPN would not compromise with any party that misuses Malaysian identity documents.
“JPN stresses that there will be no compromise against any party that misuses Malaysian identity documents,” the department said in the government statement.
The operation involved a frozen-food processing site in an industrial area of Pulau Indah. JPN’s official update said the suspected offences involved fake MyKad documents or MyKad belonging to other people, making the case both an identity-document issue and a workplace screening issue.
Malaysia’s labour rules require employers to obtain prior approval before hiring foreign workers. The Department of Labour of Peninsular Malaysia says Section 60K of the Employment Act 1955, in force from January 1, 2023, requires employers to secure approval before employing non-citizen workers.
Immigration rules also create employer exposure if a worker has no valid pass. Malaysia’s Immigration Department says Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 covers the act of employing one or more people other than citizens or Entry Permit holders who do not have a valid pass.
The Immigration Department says the penalty under Section 55B is a fine of RM10,000 to RM50,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both, for each worker. A person who employs more than five such workers at the same time faces imprisonment of six months to five years and whipping of up to six strokes.