Melaka Immigration nabs 20 foreign workers including 13 hotel staff

MELAKA – The Melaka Immigration Department raided a hotel here suspected of employing illegal foreign workers in Op Sapu here recently.

State Immigration director Anirwan Fauzee Mohd Aini said 13 foreign workers in the hotel along with seven other suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in separate raids from around 9am to 11pm on Tuesday.

“All those arrested are aged between 20 and 48 years old, involving 17 Indonesians, two Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi out of 70 foreigners inspected. 

“Among the locations targeted during the raids by the Enforcement Division of the state Immigration Department were food courts, luxury car wash centres and foreign workers housing,” he said in a statement here yesterday.

Commenting further, Anirwan said that as a result of a thorough inspection of a leading hotel, his raiding party found it was using the service of a manpower agent who supplied workers for housekeeping, cleaning and also restaurant waiters. 

“A total of 41 foreign immigrant workers at the hotel were checked and 13 of them arrested were suspected of overstaying and also violating the conditions of the pass or work permit issued. 

“The inspection also showed that the hotel had been using the services of these employees for about five months and during the raid, some tried to hide besides masquerading as locals,” he said. 

In the meantime, he said that on immigration operations in other premises, there were foreigners who acted aggressively and tried to escape during raids without thinking about their own safety. 

He said among other offences identified in the raids were entering and staying in Malaysia illegally and not having any identification documents and other offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155). 

“A total of nine witness summons forms were also issued to the employers responsible to assist in our investigation and further action,” he said. – Bernama, May 18, 2023