On Sunday (Feb 18) morning, the Immigration Department conducted a raid on a settlement at an oil palm plantation in Setia Alam, resulting in the arrest of 132 illegal immigrants. The deputy director-general (Operations) Jafri Embok Taha, mentioned that the operation commenced at 2.38 am and led to the detention of 130 Indonesians and two Bangladeshi men.
Jafri provided a breakdown of the detainees, stating that 76 were men, 46 were women, and 13 were children among the 130 Indonesians. According to him, the settlement had been in existence for four years and had electricity.
The Immigration Department’s intelligence and received complaints revealed that the foreigners were likely renting the area from local residents, who also provided electricity. The ‘Ketua Kampung’ (village chief) claimed they paid about RM6,000 a month for the rental of 0.6 hectares of land. The settlement also had sundry shops, food stalls, and a surau. Most of the foreigners worked as cleaners, restaurant assistants, and construction workers in the area.
It was confirmed that none of the foreigners had valid travel documents and had overstayed in the country. During the operation, some of them resorted to climbing onto the roof and locking themselves in the house to avoid arrest by the authorities.
The enforcement operation involved 220 personnel from various agencies, including the General Operations Force (GOF) and the National Registration Department. The case was investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63. Further review would be carried out under Section 55E (1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 regarding action against the landowner, according to Jafri.
He also warned the public and employers against harboring illegal immigrants, as they would face legal action. – Bernama
