The detainees boarding the ferry bound for Zamboanga City.
KOTA KINABALU: A total of 542 Filipinos were deported from Sabah’s east coast Sandakan district on Wednesday (March 29).
The detainees comprising 422 men, 92 women and 28 children, including four under 23 months of age, boarded the ferry MV Antonia 1 at the Sandakan port and bound for Zamboanga City in southern Philippines.
Sabah Immigration director Datuk Sharifah Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said this was the eighth deportation exercise for this year.
"The detainees were those earlier held at the Immigration depots in Kota Kinabalu, Papar and Tawau," she said in a statement on Thursday (March 30).
She added that the deportees had committed various immigration offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963.
"As such, all foreign nationals are reminded to ensure they have valid travel documents and work passes to work in Sabah before entering the country.
"All enforcement agencies in the state will not hesitate to take firm action against those who flout the law," Sharifah said.
She added that the deportation exercise would be continued for other detainees held at Immigration depots in Sabah.
