15 members of Indonesia group detained in Tawau

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police have arrested 15 individuals believed to be members of the ‘Pemuda Panca Marga’ organisation in a raid on a house in Kampung Tas, Anderasi, Tawau on Saturday.

State police commissioner Datuk Ramli Din said those detained at about 4 pm that day, included seven women, and were aged between 13 to 60.

“During the arrest, 11 of the members were wearing spot patterned attires. However the police did not find any weapons during the raid,” he said when contracted by Bernama here yesterday.

He said initial police reports revealed that the Pemuda Panca Marga was established in 1966 and based in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

It was also found that the group was formed to safeguard the welfare of Indonesian police and military retirees as well as Indonesian workers working in Sabah.

Ramli said initial investigations also revealed that individuals who wanted to join as members of the group were required to pay a certain amount of fees.

“Police also found that some members were allegedly cheated with promises that by joining the group, they will get immunity from the laws of this country (Malaysia),” he said.

He said the police were still conducting investigations to identify the leader of the group under the Societies Act, Section 420 of the Penal Code and Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

All the individuals are being remanded to facilitate further investigations. Bernama