Putrajaya, 3 March 2005 – Saying that the Philippines is working closely with Malaysia to ensure their safe return home, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo issued an appeal on Malaysian television for undocumented Filipinos in Malaysia to return home on a voluntary basis.

Speaking before reporters in a joint press conference with Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid, Secretary Romulo said “May I take this opportunity, through the Malaysian press, to call on our undocumented nationals to voluntarily return home, obtain their documents and possibly secure the necessary work permit before going back to Malaysia.”  The Secretary made this appeal because of “the determination of the Philippine Government to protect the safety and welfare of overseas Filipinos.”

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Secretary explained that while Malaysian law allows the authorities to arrest, prosecute and punish those who violate immigration regulations, “this may be the case each and every time and we are hoping that, more often than not, compassion and mercy will prevail on the ground and those who choose to leave Malaysia on their own will be allowed to do so without penalty or imprisonment.”

During his meeting with Malaysian officials, Secretary Romulo said that he was given the assurance that those who leave without being charged and penalized will be eligible to return by qualifying and obtaining a Malaysian work permit. “This is an important point.  For what is happening is that Malaysia wants to regularize our undocumented nationals.  They do require that these nationals return home first to get the proper documentation before going back to Malaysia,” the Secretary said. END
 

/jay