He said from next week onwards, about 7,000 to 10,000 illegal immigrants were expected to return to their home countries in a day. Until Saturday afternoon, more than 30,000 illegal immigrants left the country while the target was some 400,000, he said after launching the Rumah Charis Community Centre here.

The amnesty programme, which began on Oct 29, will end on Nov 14. Immigration Department enforcement director Ishak Mohamed said in a statement that most of the illegal immigrants left the country using the exit points in Stulang Laut, Malacca Port, Port Klang and KL International Airport.

In Kepala Batas, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the Government had agreed in principle to extend the deadline for the amnesty period to illegal Indonesian workers following a request by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

However, the matter would have to be referred to the Cabinet for a final decision, he added after presenting Raya goodies to the poor on Saturday.