Member of Parliament for Bintulu, Dato Seri Tiong King Sing said providing employment opportunities to immigrants who entered the State illegally might indirectly encourage undesirable elements or criminals from the neighbouring countries to enter the state and commit crimes.

Commenting on the spate of armed robbery and murder cases taking place in Bintulu in the past two months, Tiong pointed out that it was the responsibility of the employers to register all teir foreign workers and submit the documents to the relevant authorities.

"Police will face difficulties in tracing or arresting the culprits if the illegal workers are not registered with the relevant authorities like Immigration Department, " he remarked.

As a result, foreign criminals could go scout free and continue to 'terrorise' the local populace by committing robberies.

Tiong, however, refuted public allegations that the crime situation ini Bintulu was out of contral.

"In any town that's undergoing rapid development, the crime index rate is sure to increase," he said.

Tiong added that he personally met and deliberated with Bintulu Police Chief Superintendent Haji Sulaiman Abdul Razak yesterday morning several measures to address the increasing armed robbery cases and other criminal activities in the Division.

He also urged all the enforecement departments to discharged their duties without fear or favour and cahrge all the culprits before the court.

Tiong told reporters this after witnessing the opening of the new Bintulu Chiang Hsia Huang Association building here.