The Malaysian government will launch a nationwide crackdown to weed out and deport some 200,000 foreign workers who have overstayed their working permits, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar warned Friday, according to DPA. Syed Hamid said the workers had extended their stay in Malaysia, adding that unskilled foreign workers were only allowed to work for a maximum of five years while skilled workers were allowed a maximum of 10 years. He said many of the workers had applied to be permanent residents, and upon failing to qualify, decided to stay back as illegal immigrants. Syed Hamid told reporters there were about 2.1 million registered foreign workers in the country. Malaysia is home to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from Indonesia, the Philippines, India and China.
