KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24: Malaysian authorities will ensure there are sufficient boats to ferry thousands of Indonesian illegal immigrants back home under an amnesty programme during the Holy month of Ramadan, a senior minister said on Sunday.

"We will organise more ferries. Police and immigration officials will be deployed to ensure an orderly departure," Home Minister Azmi Khalid said.

"This is the best offer we can make. I urge all illegals in Malaysia to leave without fear of penalties during the current Muslim fasting month."

Immigration officials said that some 160,000 illegal Indonesians are expected to return home by sea from the southern Johor state and Port Klang, in central Selangor state.

Azmi advised the illegals to obtain travel documents from their respective missions before departure and if they wished to return, "please come back as legal workers".

The 17-day amnesty programme begins from October 29 and ends on November 14.

"After this period, we will come down hard on illegals. Don't blame us," Azmi warned.

Abu Bakar Yeop, Johor immigration director said that some 100,000 illegal Indonesians are expected to depart from three ports in the state.-AFP