KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign nationals who have committed immigration offences in Malaysia are taking advantage of the opportunity to voluntarily return to their home countries by paying a fine.
Hundreds of non-citizens have been crowding the Malaysian Immigration Department office in Kuala Lumpur to apply for repatriation under the Malaysian Migrant Repatriation Programme, which is set to end on Dec 31.
This initiative launched on March 1, allows foreign nationals who have committed immigration offences to voluntarily return to their home countries by paying a reduced compound fine.
The media observed that foreign nationals, particularly from Indonesia and Bangladesh, were queuing at the JIM office as early as 8am.
A Nepali national, Yogendra, said he decided to return to his home country after working as a labourer in Malaysia for over two years.
"I have a passport, but it recently expired. So, I rushed here and only needed to pay a RM500 fine. I started queuing at 7 am to avoid the long lines.
"It's very affordable, and I can now safely return to my home country. I am terrified of being detained by immigration authorities and imprisoned," he told Harian Metro.
Suzi, an Indonesian national, praised the voluntary repatriation initiative.
According to her, the process implemented by the department is efficient and helps facilitate the return of foreign nationals to their home countries.
"I will return to Jakarta after working in Malaysia's manufacturing sector for four years. Thank you, Malaysia, for allowing me to earn a living," she said.
The media previously reported that the programme received an encouraging response from undocumented immigrants who wanted to return to their home countries without facing legal prosecution.
Undocumented immigrants refers to individuals who enter or live in a country without the proper legal authorisation or documentation, such as a visa or a work permit.
To qualify, foreign nationals must pay a compound fine ranging from RM 300 to RM 500 for offences such as overstaying or violating visa conditions before being allowed to leave the country.