KUALA LUMPUR – The Immigration Department has arrested more than 100 migrants for various immigration offences in an enforcement operation conducted around Jalan Thamby Abdullah, Brickfields here today.
Immigration Deputy Director-General for Operations, Jafri Embok Taha, said 370 migrants, including 35 women in the area, were checked – comprising nationals of India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Nepal, aged between 25 and 71.
Some 224 officers and personnel from various agencies, led by the Immigration Department, raided over 30 premises in the operation that began at 1pm.
The premises involved were residences, clothing stores, restaurants, hair salons, beauty supply shops and convenience stores.
“All 100 detainees will be taken to the Semenyih Immigration Detention Depot to be investigated under Section 6(1)(C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, the Immigration Regulations 1963 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
“Among the offences were lacking personal documentation, overstaying and abuse of passes,” he told reporters after the operation.
Jafri Embok said the raid was in response to public complaints about the influx of foreign residents in the area.
On another matter, he said registration for the Workforce Recalibration Programme (RTK 2.0) ended yesterday after two years of implementation.
“After this, a verification process will be conducted until March 31. Then, action will be taken against migrant workers who have not gone through the verification process, especially those holding RTK cards,” he said. – January 1, 2024