Biometric noncompliance leads to 500 deportations

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan has stated that as of now, 500 expatriates who failed to provide biometric details by the given deadline have been deported. 

The ministry held a press conference today, joined by enforcement agencies under their oversight, at the Iskandhar Building. 

At the press conference, Ihusan said the expatriate documentation drive will remain in effect until May 1, 2027. By then, a major operation will be carried out to detain and deport any expatriates living illegally in the country, he said. 

"In about the month that has passed from November 15, 2025, Immigration has detained and deported 500 expatriates who had not provided their fingerprints," Ihusan said. 

With this, the number of expatriates deported within the last two years has risen to 9,695, the Minister revealed. 

The final phase of the operation to ensure all expatriates are documented will commence next year, according to the Minister. Once this is completed, the government will hold details of all expatriates working in the country, and each will have an employer to bear responsibility for them. 

Under the documentation drive, the government has now collected biometric data from 202,000 expatriates, the Minister said. 

"So there is hope that we will be able to complete this work ahead of target."

The Minister announced that expatriates lacking an official employer will have three months to secure one and comply with the system.