6,000 nabbed for illegal businesses
KUALA LUMPUR: The fight against illegal businesses operated by foreigners is seeing results with over 6,000 of them nabbed so far this year, the Immigration director-general revealed.
Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said Indonesians made up the largest group with 2,280 arrests, followed by Myanmar nationals (1,742), Bangladeshis (936), Thais (761) and Indians (476), bringing the total to 6,195 by Oct 15.
“We also conducted 216 integrated operations with local authorities during the same period. This involved inspections on 3,387 foreigners, resulting in the arrest of 487 undocumented migrants and 11 employers for various immigration offences,” he said in a recent interview.
He said the department was working closely with other enforcement agencies and local authorities to curb various other offences committed by foreigners, adding 39,368 foreigners were rounded up this year.
Again, Indonesians topped the list with 12,462 arrests, followed by Bangladeshis (8,672), Myanmar nationals (7,397), Filipinos (4,099) and Thais (1,315).
The figures showed that the number of arrests involving foreigners stood at 26,330 in 2023, rising to 43,516 in 2024 and 49,292 last year, he added.
Zakaria said 224 hotspots nationwide have been identified, where undocumented migrants were believed to be concentrated, with 29 areas classified as red zones across 12 states.
On the department’s enforcement strategy, the DG said it included conducting inspections at premises employing foreign workers, educational institutions admitting international students, shopping complexes, wholesale markets and residential areas.
“Targeted operations will also be conducted continuously at identified hotspots with the involvement of the police and local authorities,” he said.
Zakaria said all state immigration departments have been instructed to double enforcement operations against bosses who violated immigration laws.
“Immigration officers will be deployed through an omnipresence approach focusing on monitoring, inspections, advice and warnings to parties employing or allowing undocumented migrants to remain on their premises, including commercial centres,” he said.
He added that 4,842 employers had been arrested between 2023 and Oct 15 this year for offences involving the protection and employment of undocumented migrants.
“The arrests comprised 3,995 cases under Section 56(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for harbouring undocumented migrants, and 847 cases under Section 55B for employing them,” he said, adding that RM91.78mil in compounds were collected this year.
The DG vowed to continue firm enforcement action against undocumented migrants, with legal action to be taken against employers, premises owners and those found harbouring or employing them.
“We urge the public to promptly provide information to the department to facilitate more comprehensive enforcement operations and detection and arrest of undocumented migrants,” he added.
He said information on undocumented migrants could be channelled through the Immigration Department’s PATI Complaints Hotline at 03-8880 1347 or the Public Complaints Management System (Sispaa).
