Filipinos who are currently working and living in Malaysia are advised by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to make sure that they have proper immigrant and working documents with the current crackdown on undocumented foreigners as ordered by the government of Malaysia.

Undocumented Filipinos or those with incomplete papers are advised to take needed steps to correct their status. Meanwhile, those with legal status should always carry their identification papers with them. The same reminder applies to Filipinos who wish to work in Malaysia – they should have proper working permits and a waiting job offer before entering the Asian country.

Ambassador, J. Eduardo Malaya said, “We wish to remind our Filipino nationals to have proper documents, notably work permit or passport with valid visa, and carry it with them in case of immigration checks, in order to avoid inconvenience. Also, Filipinos who wish to enter Malaysia for work should have approved work permits or similar papers as they start their jobs here.”

The Ambassador together with Consul General Medardo G. Macaraig recently visited places in Kuala Lumpur where Filipinos usually hang out such as Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock to make the reminder.

The crackdown against illegal immigrants in Malaysia officially started on September 01 wherein authorities and staff from various government agencies has so far caugtht 2,433 foreigners. News reports said that those who were arrested are from Indonesia, Nepal. Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Consul General Macaraig said, “We checked with the immigration detention facility in Putrajaya, and we were informed that Filipinos are not among those arrested and currently held in said facility.

On September 2, the Philippine Ambassador had a meeting with Malaysia's Minister for Home Affairs Dato’ Sri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and discussed concerns of Filipino nationals there such as access to school of Pinoy school-aged children. Malaya also asked the Malaysian official for humane treatment for Filipinos who may be affected by the crackdown. 

To extend assistance to affected Filipinos, Malaya also informed that the PH Embassy in Malaysia continue to conduct mobile consular missions. Some of the areas they have visited are Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Tawau, Kudat, Keningau, Kota Marudu and Sandakan.

He said, “To ensure that our nationals have the proper documents, the Embassy continuously undertakes mobile consular missions particularly in Sabah, where we provide not just passports but also birth documentations for our nationals there. We deploy twice a month a consular mobile team of six to seven personnel for two-week stay in Sabah.”