KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The government has not decided whether or not to fine people who have not exchanged their identity cards with MyKads after Dec 31, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said Wednesday.

However, those who applied for MyKads after that date would have to pay and probably the government would consider giving exemption in certain cases like to Malaysians living abroad, he said.

On the "Let's Exchange and Win" campaign that offers a Perodua MyVi to a lucky MyKad holder, he said it was a government's approach to "coax" people to exchange their identity cards.

Azmi said the latest record showed 1.4 million people had not obtained MyKads and 400,000 of them had difficulty in getting one such as the prison and rehabilitation centre inmates and Malaysians including students, staying abroad.

He said the ministry had established mobile units to make it easy for the elderly and sick especially in remotes areas to get MyKads from the National Registration Department.

On the smuggling of women sex workers into the country and abuse of tourist passes to engage in prostitution, Azmi said the government viewed the matter seriously.

From January to September, 3,275 foreigners especially from Asian and Southeast Asian countries were arrested by immigration personnel, he said.

Azmi said among the steps taken was carrying out joint operations involving the Immigration Department, police and local authorities on focus points like three-star hotels, entertainment outlets, massage parlours and private premises.

The enforcement agencies would arrest organisers, protectors and operators of the activity and charge them under Section 372 or 373 of the Penal Code or Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act or place them under the Restricted Residence Act, he said.

Besides revoking social visit passes, deporting and blacklisting foreign nationals involved in the immoral activity, Azmi said, more stringent inspections were carried out at the country's entry points.

On transsexuals who changed their sex through surgery, he said the country had not accepted sex change as it went against the community's social values.

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