Malaysia tackles illegal foreign-owned firms, as regional crackdown widens

Malaysia ordered a crackdown on Monday against illegal businesses run by foreigners, joining a growing list of Southeast Asian nations rocked by similar operations amid simmering local resentment.

In recent years, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia introduced visa-free entry for foreign visitors following the Covid-19 pandemic in a bid to revive their flagging tourism, property and investment sectors.

But last month, Thailand removed the 60-day visa-free entry for 93 countries and...