Escaped detainees now searching for food, 10 recaptured so far — Immigration DG

TAPAH: The Immigration Department has confirmed that 10 illegal immigrants who escaped from the Bidor Temporary Immigration Centre on Thursday night have been recaptured as of Saturday morning.

Immigration director-general Datuk Ruslin Juson said the operation to track down the remaining 120 immigrants is ongoing until all of them are apprehended.

“At about 7am today, two individuals were detained at the Batu Melintang Mosque, where they came to seek water from congregants. The locals informed the police, and they were subsequently recaptured.

“Just a while ago, we received information that one arrest was made in the Sementa Orang Asli Village, all within a 12-kilometre radius. These immigrants have started coming out to find food,” he told a press conference here.

He said that this development indicates positive progress in the operation, which received cooperation from the police, including the General Operations Force, Air Operations Force, Criminal Investigation Department and the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela).

Ruslin further said that the ongoing search operation is focused on settlements of foreign nationals, mosques, vacant houses, surau and Orang Asli villages around Tapah.

“These escaped detainees may seek help from acquaintances and relatives to hide in illegal settlements around Tapah.

“The public is urged to share information if there are any suspicious individuals requesting food and drinks,” he said, adding that the escaped detainees have now dispersed and are not moving in large groups.

Ruslin has also ordered immigration across the country to conduct large-scale operations as the target and radius of the search have been expanded.

“Tomorrow, 100 more personnel will report to the Bidor Temporary Immigration Depot to assist in the operation,” he said.

Commenting on the depot’s operation, Ruslin said that it has been cleared completely.

“Around 11 pm yesterday, 100 female detainees were relocated to depots in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, as well as in Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan and Kemayan, Johor,” he said.

In the incident on Thursday night, a total of 131 illegal immigrants fled from the male block of the Bidor temporary depot, with one of them reported to have died in a road accident.—