NEARLY 200 individuals were detained during a sweeping multi-agency operation along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah in Chow Kit on Thursday night, as Malaysian immigration authorities targeted what has been dubbed the capital’s "Little Pakistan" over the high concentration of undocumented foreign workers.
The enforcement exercise, led by the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department (JIM), focused on 45 business premises including restaurants, convenience stores and small hotels. Officials inspected around 400 individuals, many of whom were foreign nationals employed as cooks, waiters, bakers and other service workers.
“Altogether, 196 foreigners were detained, along with three local individuals believed to have employed undocumented workers,” said Kuala Lumpur Immigration Director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff at a late-night press conference.
The detainees include nationals from Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Jordan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Wan Saupee said the operation followed weeks of surveillance and multiple public complaints regarding the influx of foreign workers in the area. “This place resembles a mini Pakistan,” he said.
Although some employees were found with valid documents, authorities discovered that many employers had deliberately hired undocumented migrants who were “embedded” among legitimate staff.
JIM also confirmed the presence of foreign beggars, some claiming to be tourists. In one room searched by authorities, officers found a stash of one-ringgit notes believed to have been collected through begging.
“A few of these individuals claimed they were visiting Malaysia, but our checks revealed large sums of small-denomination currency in rented rooms – clearly proceeds from begging,” Wan Saupee said.
The operation, which began at 9pm, involved personnel from JIM, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), operating under the joint KL Strike Force initiative.
DBKL confiscated 52 tables and 204 chairs placed illegally in public areas under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974. Meanwhile, KPDN issued five fines worth RM5,500 under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 and the Weights and Measures Act 1972 for labelling and measurement offences.
SSM conducted checks on all 45 businesses and issued seven compounds under the Companies Act 2016 and the Registration of Businesses Act 1957 for violations involving signage and receipt issuance.
The detained individuals will be investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for lacking valid permits and overstaying, as well as under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for misusing work passes. The local employers are being probed under Sections 56(1)(d) and 35(b) of the same Act.
During the raid, some foreigners attempted to evade arrest by feigning unconsciousness, crying, or engaging in verbal confrontations with officers. One woman pretended to faint, while others were caught live-streaming the operation on social media without having any identification on them.
None of the tactics deterred enforcement, with all detained individuals transported in Immigration Department lorries for further processing. - September 27, 2025
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