RM25 mln spent monthly on meals for detained illegals

PUTRAJAYA: The government spends more than RM25 million per month on meals for illegal immigrants detained at 13 Immigration Department depots nationwide.

Immigration director-general Datuk Mustafar Ali said it was among the reasons why the department refused to continue the rehiring programme which ended on June 30.

"The amount does not include utility-related , personnel management and depot maintenance costs, which would create greater financial burden if the illegal immigrants are not immediately deported after being arrested,” he told a press conference after attending the department's monthly assembly here yesterday.

To date, Mustafar said 6,678 illegal immigrants were detained at the depots with the largest in Bukit Jalil (1,500 detainees) and the lowest in Bekenu, Sarawak (350 detainees).

He said the law division was working hard to ensure those detained were deported immediately without passing the investigation period of between two and 14 days.

Mustafar said the ‘Op Mega 3.0' operation, which was launched nationwide following the conclusion of the rehiring programme, resulted in the arrest of 1,285 illegal immigrants and 16 employers.

He said the rehiring program which started on Feb 15, 2016, saw the registration of 744,942 immigrants and 83,919 employers as well as 364,966 applications were processed.

Under the voluntary surrender programme or 3+1 programme, he said 117,448 illegal immigrants had registered and returned home from Jan 1 to July 1. - Bernama