JOHOR BARU: The Johor Immigration Department detained 65 foreigners during a two-day operation for various immigration offences.
State director Baharuddin Tahir said the department carried out raids involving 28 premises around Johor Baru and Mersing on Monday (Feb 12) and Tuesday (Feb 13).
“In the operation, our enforcement teams inspected 147 individuals, including locals, and 65 of them, aged 20 to 49, were detained.
“The Immigration Department conducted the operation following public complaints on the high number of foreigners in their locations,” he said on Wednesday (Feb 14).
Baharuddin said among those detained are 30 Bangladeshis (all men), 18 Indonesians (three women), seven Indian nationals (one woman), five male Pakistanis, a Thai woman, a Cambodian man, a male Myanmar national, a Nepalese man, and a male Yemeni.
He added that all of the detainees had committed an offence under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) for not possessing any pass or permit to be in Malaysia, Section 15(1)(c) of the same Act for overstaying and Rule 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating the terms of their passes.
“During the operation, the department also detained a 41-year-old Bangladeshi, who works as a premises manager, for hiring illegal immigrants.
“Some 11 notices have been issued to locals for them to go to the Immigration Department to assist with the investigations,” he said.
Baharuddin also said the department would continue conducting enforcement operations throughout Johor to curb illegal immigrants.
“We will take stern action without any compromise not only to the illegal immigrants but to local employers, and premise owners found to be hiring foreigners without any travel documents or valid working permit,” he added.
