25,600,000 residents in M'sia

[KH EE]

from bernama.com.my

September 14, 2004 14:07 PM
M'sia's Population To Touch 25.6 Mln This Year, Dewan Rakyat Told

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's population is expected to touch 25.6 million this year, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho told the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday.

Of the total, 23.9 million would be Malaysian citizens, 483,211 permanent residents, 76,490 temporary residents and 1.14 million others, he said when replying to Datuk Chor Chee Heung (BN-Alor Star).

Tan said a highly qualified Malaysian citizen's foreign wife residing in this country could apply to work in Malaysia if she fulfils the stipulated conditions.

He said her qualification must be suitable to meet the country's manpower requirements.

"Normally, foreign wives are not allowed to work as they are usually on dependent visas," he said, adding that they could apply for a work pass from the Immigration Department if they wished to work.
=================
It could hv been 483,212 permanent residents if Vijay Singh's PR was approved...

[jeya]

Of the total, 23.9 million would be Malaysian citizens, 483,211 permanent residents, 76,490 temporary residents and 1.14 million others, he said when replying to Datuk Chor Chee Heung (BN-Alor Star).Quote

I wonder if the 1.14 million are Indonesians?

[KH EE]

jeya, ur wonder is as good as mine!

seriously tho, how many illegals are there in M'sia?

[orchipalar]

Err....not forgetting this figure or more which might also include 'workers' from Bangla...Nepal....India....China..Vietnam..Thailan d..or former CIS countries....n of course...the Indons...ahem....having said that....Orchi would wanna guess the actual figures would definitely be more than 1.14 millions

Of late...malaysia has been one of the main targets....by the parachuters...or....ahem.....swimmers?

[lord]

I think it's high time, now that we have a new mgmt team, to seriously consider and check issuance of PR status. The whole thing is a big joke when it comes to PR status in M'sia.

In my co for instance, we have expats from India who have been living here for a long time, here I mean more than 10 yrs, and hold very high positions in MNC's. Most of these guys are VP's or managers. They left India becoz the co transferred some to M'sia and some ended in S'pore. The blokes who landed in S'pore were offered PR status in their 2nd year. Whereas the ones in M'sia are still applying for theirs.

I also know a friend of mine whose wife is a Nepalese. She graduated with him from NUS and moved to KL after their studies. He's still running up and down Immigration after 12 years.

Vijay Singh applied and was rejected. If he had only left for Indonesia and swam across and lived in M'sia illegally for 2 years while driving a cab, he would have been made PR.


It's gone to the dogs, man!!!!

[KH EE]

from http://202.186.86.35/news/story.asp?...ewspage=Search

Letter to theStar

Cut red tape for top talent

I REFER to your report, “Vijay applied for Malaysian PR status 20 years ago” (The Star, Sept 9).

I would like to congratulate Vijay Singh on his success as the world number one golf player.

There is no point looking back on a decision made 20 years ago and regret it now. But I notice that many Indonesians, Myanmars, Bangladeshis are granted PR status although they are not skilled workers. They include labourers, restaurant helpers and construction site workers.

Some are even terrorists posing as religious teachers and businessmen.

Their applications were approved in a relatively short time as compared to that of many professionals and skilled workers. Are there unwritten rules involved in the granting of PR status?

I have friends whose wives are doctors from India who were denied PR status even after having stayed in Malaysia for eight long years.

They had to go through stage after stage of bureaucratic red tape and, in the end, their applications were rejected.

This is totally unreasonable, unjustified and against the policy of our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to attract professionals.

Our country will miss out in attracting professionals and skilled workers in the long run if the situation continues. Please do something.

CHEN YOKE CHUAN
Penang

[KH EE]

another letter:-

Baffled by criteria for PR status

I read with worry about crimes committed by low-skilled workers and Malaysian “permanent residents” from a neighbouring country.

With the Government launching the “brain gain” and “Malaysia my second home” programmes, I find it strange that the immigration department is giving permanent resident status to non-professional lay workers while professionals seem to have difficulty attaining the status.

On one hand, we read about our permanent resident workers constantly committing crime while on the other, we have people like world number one golfer Vijay Singh and other foreign professionals (many are spouses of Malaysians) denied the opportunity to become permanent residents.

For professionals and world-class scientists or sportsmen, some leniency in the processing of their applications would go a long way in helping our country progress. Rather than sticking rigidly to rules, our authorities should use common sense and be flexible.

Recently, a policeman wrote to The Star with a similar question on why it was so difficult for his child to get citizenship. This from a man who had served our country during the emergency!

JET
Kuala Lumpur

[KH EE]

As reported in theStar:-

MCA Youth: Revoke PR of terror suspects

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA Youth has urged the Home Ministry to revoke the permanent residence status of Indonesians suspected of being involved in Jemaah Islamiah activities, saying their names should also be announced once actions were carried out.

Its international affairs bureau chief Fam Lee Ee said it was disheartening to read of Indonesian JI suspects with PR status in media reports, saying they had caused embarrassment to Malaysia.

“Many of them had come in as petty traders but they managed to obtain PR status. How can this happen when many professionals and spouses with qualifications failed to do so?” he asked.

Fam, a lawyer, called for a full review of how permanent residence status were accorded, saying only foreigners who could be an asset to Malaysia should be given the status.

He commended Home Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid for assuring that only those with skills and expertise in fields like technology would be given priority for PR status or be given citizenship.

Azmi had said that the “time” factor, even if applicants had stayed here for over 20 years, would not carry any weight.

Fam also urged the Government to check on the increasing number of Chinese women involved in sex trade and Indian workers in restaurants.

[KH EE]

from nst: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/N...le/indexb_html

Only skilled persons welcome
Farrah Naz Karim
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 9:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only those with skills and expertise in fields like technology will be given priority for permanent resident status or be granted citizenship.

In short, they should be an asset to the nation, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid said.

He pointed out that the "time" factor, even if applicants had stayed here for over 20 years, would not carry any weight. He said as the nation was fast moving towards the global era, those with skills and expertise would be given priority.

However, these qualities would only add merit to the applicants, as obtaining citizenship or PR status needed them to possess the "Malaysian" elements.

"Just being here for years does not mean one is fit to be a Malaysian. They can apply to be one, but it is the government's right to grant citizenship, not theirs.

"We want value to be added to the country when we accept them as Malaysians...we place great importance to those who are knowledgeable and can bring us economic gains. "We will also carefully study their loyalty to the country as we do not want traitors who can easily betray the nation in times of hardship," he said, adding the government did not fix any specific number to be made citizens yearly but considered the applications on a personal basis.

He added the country did not want a repeat of citizens renouncing their citizenship for that of another country, like it happened during the economic crisis in the 80s.

"Just because they feared that their economic comfort would be compromised, they opted to leave the country to seek greener pastures.

"These people are not fit to be Malaysians. "We have told some who pleaded to have their citizenship reinstated to go away," he said at his office here. Azmi had earlier presented 15 "new Malaysians" with certificates to acknowledge their new privilege.

Among them was businessman Datuk Zakri Abdullah of Singapore, engineer B. Ragunathan, originally from India who has resided here for more than 20 years, and one of Tengku Kursiah College's best students in 2001, Indonesia-born Izzatur Rahmi Mohd Ujang. She is now studying medicine in the United Kingdom on a Public Service Department scholarship.

Those applying to become Malaysians are put through many tests, including their command of the national language and general knowledge. A thorough check is also made on their background. The Government also does not give PR status to single applicants. On the high number of foreigners, including Indonesians, who had been given PR status before, Azmi said foreigners would not easily get PR. Huh? what type of answer is this?

[KH EE]

from theSun: http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=3822

Special programme for citizenship, PR applicants

KUALA TERENGGANU: The government will make it compulsory for all foreign nationals applying for Malaysian citizenship to undergo a special programme to mould them into loyal citizens, said Home Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid on Thursday.

The programme was being formulated by the ministry and would be implemented soon, he told reporters after attending a briefing given by agencies under his ministry here.

"We want them to declare their loyalty to the country and be able to sing by heart the national anthem as well as understand what it means because we don't want citizenship with a mere piece of paper," he said.

The same programme would also apply to those seeking permanent resident (PR) status.

Azmi also said the government had never granted citizenship to foreigners without a good command of the national language.

The government took a serious view in the matter and wanted every applicant of Malaysian citizenship and PR status to possess high values and switched their allegiance to the country.

Updated: 06:35PM Thu, 01 Jul 2004
====================
Know of some rakyat who can't sing by heart the national anthem let alone understand what it means and then there r some who can't speak proper BM...

[orchipalar]

Arrhh....so now....we know who is talking what now....we would rather opt for more malay speaking PRs....rather than non malay speaking medical staffs or technicians...even...talented musicians....or sportpersons....or experts in the mathematical or scientific fields....hahaha....what a bluddy JOKE this is?.....

[lord]

Originally posted by KH EE
[B]
Those applying to become Malaysians are put through many tests, including their command of the national language and general knowledge. A thorough check is also made on their background. The Government also does not give PR status to single applicants. On the high number of foreigners, including Indonesians, who had been given PR status before, Azmi said foreigners would not easily get PR. [B]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, when the white mamas and papas take up the greatest offer on earth, "Malaysia My Second Home", are they required to sit for these tests before they are given PR status?

[B]
A thorough check is also made on their background. [B]

Then how come half of the Indons caught for crime have got a bad background?

[B]
On the high number of foreigners, including Indonesians, who had been given PR status before, Azmi said foreigners would not easily get PR. [B]

I'm lost!!