KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia has given illegal immigrants in the country a two-week grace period from the July 31 end to an amnesty period, to leave the country, news reports said Friday.

"They are allowed to stay until they can go, but only up to two weeks," said Deputy Home Minister Zainal Abidin Zin. Only aliens who could show proof that they had tried to buy tickets to return home before the deadline, or that their travel documents were not yet in order would be entitled to the grace period, Zainal said, according to the **** New Straits Times ***** daily. "The government cannot continue giving grace periods. If that is the case, they will never go home."

From August 1, new laws will come into effect which prescribe mandatory six months' jail, and up to six strokes of the cane for illegal entry into the country. Employers of illegal aliens could also be whipped if convicted of hiring them, DPA reported.

About 200,000 illegal immigrants have left Malaysia since the February start to a tough nationwide policy to rid the country of illegal immigrants.

Under an amnesty period instituted from March, illegal immigrants who voluntarily leave the country would not face any charges even if they had over-stayed or worked illegally.

Malaysia was thought to be home to about a million illegal immigrants earlier this year but official data are unavailable because most of these aliens entered the country illegally. About 70 percent of illegal aliens are thought to be Indonesians, while the rest come from places such as the Philippines, India and Africa.