Kuala lumpur: Begging activities involving foreigners, especially children, may involve organised crime and are believed to be linked to syndicates, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, from 2025 until May 31 this year, the Immigration Department carried out 836 enforcement operations in Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas, inspecting 10,609 individuals. Among them, 5,411 foreigners were detained for immigration offences, including 42 involved in begging. Investigations are also being conducted against locals suspected of acting as protectors, organisers, or financial beneficiaries of these activities.
The ministry, in a written reply published on the Parliament portal, emphasised that it will not compromise on any breach of the law or any form of exploitation that could affect the country's image and reputation. This response was directed towards a query from Fong Kui Lun (PH-Bukit Bintang) regarding the effectiveness of enforcement operations against begging activities by foreigners, particularly in tourist hotspots like Bukit Bintang, Jalan Alor, and Changkat Bukit Bintang.
To bolster enforcement, the Immigration Department has enhanced integrated operations with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), as well as improved intelligence sharing and analysis to identify syndicate networks, modus operandi, and begging hotspots.
The KDN also highlighted that the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department is actively participating in the Federal Territory Security Working Committee Meeting and the KL Strike Force team alongside PDRM, DBKL, the Department of Social Welfare (JKM), and other enforcement agencies. These bodies work collaboratively to identify and monitor begging and vagrancy hotspots, conduct regular and unscheduled integrated operations, expedite sharing of intelligence and public complaints, and continuously monitor to prevent recurrence.
The ministry stressed that an integrated approach with PDRM, DBKL, and related agencies will remain empowered to combat foreign beggar syndicates firmly, comprehensively, and continuously to preserve public safety and the nation's image.
In a separate matter, KDN reported that 314 employers were considered and recommended for foreign worker quotas out of 1,919 applications received during the special application period from Jan 19 to March 31 this year. This special period was established to assist employers who failed to submit applications before the Dec 31, 2025, deadline for foreign worker quotas under the 2025 quota ceiling.
The ministry stated that the employers who obtained the recommendations are currently awaiting deliberation by the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) to obtain initial approval to employ foreign workers under Section 60(K) of the Employment Act 1955 (Act 265). This response followed a question from Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (PH-Beruas) regarding the total approved quota for employing foreign workers from Jan 19 to March 31 this year.