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Ahmadul Kobir, Malaysia: Malaysia’s Immigration Department has detained 1,043 undocumented migrants in a major two-day nationwide enforcement operation, known as Op Sasar, which began on Monday.
Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said 3,307 foreign nationals were inspected during the operation, with 1,043 detained for allegedly committing various immigration offences.
Bangladeshis accounted for the largest group among those detained, with 370 people, followed by 328 Indonesians and 183 Myanmar nationals. Most of those detained were men aged between 17 and 59.
Speaking to reporters during the operation at Suteramas Apartment on Tuesday night, Zakaria said the operation targeted areas with large concentrations of foreign nationals based on public complaints and intelligence gathered by the authorities.
The offences detected included failure to produce valid identification documents, violations of pass conditions, overstaying, possession of unrecognised cards and other offences under Malaysia’s Immigration Act.
During the operation, the Immigration Department also issued 45 witness summonses to Malaysian citizens to assist with investigations. Some of those summoned were house owners suspected of sheltering foreigners without valid documentation.
Zakaria said the department was currently conducting an average of five to six enforcement operations a day nationwide following an increase in public complaints about the presence of foreign nationals.
He said more than 31,000 foreigners had been repatriated so far this year, while around 28,000 had been placed in immigration detention depots as of July.
Meanwhile, the government’s Migrant Repatriation Programme remains in place, allowing undocumented migrants to return voluntarily to their home countries.
Under the programme, undocumented migrants can surrender themselves to the authorities, pay a RM500 compound and be safely repatriated to their respective countries.
Zakaria said enforcement operations would continue as part of efforts to curb the presence of undocumented migrants, known locally as PATI, and reduce the number of foreigners staying in Malaysia without valid immigration documents.
