44 foreigners nabbed for various immigration offences
BINTULU: Bintulu immigration enforcement unit conducted Ops Ikar ( Mahir) at a sawmill at Jalan Kemena Land District that led to the arrest of 44 immigrants for committing immigration offences.
A press statement from the department revealed that a total of 59 individuals were checked during the operation which ended at 5.45pm.
Each of the suspects was brought to Bintulu Immigration Office to be documented before being transported to Bekenu Immigration Depot in Miri.
Among the offences were those under Section 15 (1)(c) Immigration Act 1959/63 for overstaying and possession of expired visiting passes.
Nineteen (all men) were arrested for failing to produce any travel and identification documents.
Also present during the operations were State Immigration director Ken Leben and State Immigration’s chief of Enforcement Department, Garry Belayong John Siki.
“We (Immigration Department) will continue to fight illegal immigrants as they can disrupt the State’s social stability and safety,” Ken said.
He called on the public to be vigilant and become the eyes and ears of the department by reporting suspected illegal immigrants in their area or nearby.
“We will not hesitate to take stern action against any individuals or employers trying to hide illegal immigrant workers,” he warned.
Meanwhile, Garry Belayong said the grace period for illegal immigrants to surrender to any immigration office for the process of sending them back to their countries would end on December 31 this year.
According to him, immigrants who hold expired work permits but have valid passports can go to any of the immigration office to pay a RM300 compound.
A further RM100 has to be paid for the department to issue a special pass for them to travel back to their country at their own expense.