A NATIONWIDE operation by the Immigration Department has led to the detention of 670 foreign nationals between January and 7 April, officials confirmed.
Deputy Director-General of Immigration (Operations), Datuk Lokman Effendi Ramli, said a total of 1,800 individuals were inspected during the period.
He explained that the initiative, known as Ops Gegar, is typically carried out at entertainment premises to curb immoral activities, particularly those involving foreign nationals.
“The three main countries contributing to these detentions were Thailand, followed by China, and then Vietnam. Together, these three countries accounted for more than 400 of the total 670 people detained,” he said at a press conference early today.
Lokman noted that many detained foreign women frequently cited reasons such as “coming with my husband” or “my husband is at home” for their presence in entertainment venues.
“We have no objection to individuals being married to foreigners, but there is no compromise if laws are broken,” he said.
“When we conduct raids and detain individuals, there are often claims that they have Malaysian spouses. I remind them, there is no issue with having a Malaysian partner, but we will verify.
“If they have committed no offence, there is no need to worry and they can return home after the operation concludes.” - April 9, 2026
