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Changes in October 2025 

In December 2024, Malaysia’s Home Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, announced that the country’s 25 immigration depots, including temporary facilities, were operating at 82.5% capacity, housing 17,326 detainees out of a total capacity of 20,750 as of 30 September 20241 . 

As of August 2025, enforcement operations have resulted in the detention of 35,225 illegal immigrants and the deportation of 36,557 individuals 2 , reflecting the government’s ongoing commitment to robust immigration enforcement.  

While the immigration depots across Malaysia are operating within their designated capacities, the government has proactively implemented measures to prevent overcrowding in the depots. 

To address the risk of overcrowding and streamline the management of overstay offenders, the Immigration Department of Malaysia has introduced the Program Pengurusan Tinggal Lebih Masa (“Overstay Management Programme”), effective 21 October 20253 . 

This initiative aims to expedite legal processes, reduce congestion at detention depots and acknowledge legitimate circumstances leading to overstays. 

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WRITTEN BY

For further information, please contact:

Suganthi Singam – Shearn Delamore & Co,
suganthi@shearndelamore.com

 

Practice Areas

 

  • Employment & Administrative Law
  • Immigration (Head)

 

Languages 

 

  • English,
  • Malay

 

PRACTICE

 

Employment related legal issues and workplace strategic areas, addressing both contentious and non-contentious matters. In particular for newly incorporated companies and foreign investments in Malaysia, she advises on the drafting of employment agreements, policies and handbooks. She also trains employers to manage misconduct issues and poor performance in employees, advises on issues relating to employee stock option schemes, share awards, prepares panel members for domestic inquiries and trains personnel on how to conduct domestic inquiries.

 

For corporate acquisitions and mergers, Suganthi provides strategic guidance in dealing with the employment issues that arise. She provides legal counsel in relation to business acquisitions, reorganisations, voluntary and mutual separation schemes, harmonisation of employment terms and retention of key management. In relation to workplace risk management and safety, she provides legal advice on occupational health and safety issues as well as sexual harassment policies and procedures. She also handles trade union recognition issues, labour disputes and strikes.

 

Suganthi additionally provides legal counsel across a wide range of immigration matters including applications for employment passes and professional visit passes. She has represented employers for the full sphere of employment related disputes. She has been involved in hearings at all levels of the courts ranging from the Labour Court, Industrial Court, High Court, Court of Appeal to the Federal Court.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

 

  • LL.B (Hons), University of Manchester
  • LL.M, University of Malaya
  • Certificate in Legal Practice
  • Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya

 

ADMISSIONS

 

  • Malaysia (1996)

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
 

  • Malaysian Bar
  • International Bar Association (IBA)
  • World Law Group (WLG)
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

  • Malaysian Chapter for Global Mobility: An Overview for Human Resource Professionals 2015 (3rd edition)

 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

 

  • Chambers Asia Pacific (2017) – One of the “Leaders in their Field” in Employment and Industrial Relations
  • The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2016 and 2017) – a “Recommended Lawyer” in Labour and Employment

 

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