Melaka Immigration Dept detains 23 undocumented migrants from 'Little Dhaka'

MELAKA: The Immigration Department detained 23 undocumented migrant workers following a raid around Melaka Sentral.

The 2.30pm raid on Sunday (Oct 1) saw 199 foreigners being checked, 102 of whom were Myanmar nationals.

Melaka Immigration director Anirwan Fauzee Mohd Aini said that of the 23 people detained, aged 20 to 40, 16 were from Myanmar while the rest were from Bangladesh.

State women, family development and welfare committee chairman Datuk Kalsom Noordin said the large concentration of foreign workers in the area - some manning roadside stalls, at the bus terminal and its surrounding commercial areas - has earned the place its moniker “Little Dhaka”.

The Pengkalan Batu assemblyman said such raids would be carried out regularly to curb any influx of undocumented migrants in the constituency.

The raid which ended around 5pm, was conducted by 23 Immigration officers who were assisted by 21 enforcement officers from the Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) and five police officers.

All those detained are being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959 for not having a valid entry pass into Malaysia.