KOTA KINABALU – Sabah immigration authorities today detained 117 undocumented migrants, including 71 children, during a pre-dawn raid on a squatter settlement in the city.
Sabah Immigration Department director-general Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said those detained also included 12 men and 34 women.
“The operation was conducted based on public complaints received by the department to locate and eradicate illegal immigrants, as well as locals who abetted with illegal immigrants, which is an offence under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Immigration Act 1963 and other related acts,” Sitti Saleha said in a statement.
“We also receive public complaints on contraband cigarettes supplied by illegal immigrants in the surrounding area.”
Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud joined the two-hour operation conducted by 48 immigration officers, Sitti Saleha said.
The raid was the latest under the ongoing Sapu integrated operation, aimed at clearing the state of undocumented migrants and dealing with individuals who violate immigration laws, including by aiding and abetting undocumented migrants.
All who were detained are suspected to have violated Section 6(1)(c) of Immigration Act 1959/63 for living in Malaysia without a valid passport or documents.
Sitti Saleha thanked the public for providing information leading to the raid, and warned locals against acting against the law, including renting out or allowing their premises to be used by undocumented migrants.
“The Immigration Department will not compromise with any party that abet by bringing or placing illegal immigrants in the properties,” she said. – The Vibes, March 14, 2022
