PUTRAJAYA: The Government has agreed to postpone a crackdown on those employing or harbouring illegal workers, planned for Feb 15 onwards, to a later, unspecified date.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, after meeting representatives from the Chinese chambers of commerce and guilds on Friday, said this would allow the Chinese new year festivities to proceed smoothly.

Last month, the Immigration Department announced that it would commence a nationwide crackdown on thousands of employers believed to be harbouring or employing illegal workers.
There are about 1.8 million legal foreign workers in the country and the department believes there are at least an equal number of illegals.

There were many requests for the crackdown to be postponed as it was scheduled to start on the second day of Chinese New Year, where businesses would be brisk with huge profits to be made.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/5/nation/20100205183816&sec=nation