JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- In efforts to combat the misuse of work passes and permits among foreign nationals, the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) in Johor arrested 32 individuals in a series of enforcement operations around Johor Bharu and Batu Pahat on Oct 13.
Johor JIM director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the operations, conducted together with the Batu Pahat Branch Enforcement Unit, involved Ops Selera, Ops Minyak, and Ops Sapu at food premises, car wash centres, and residential areas identified as 'hotspots' for immigration law violations.
"These operations were the result of a week of continuous intelligence gathering and public information received through the official complaint channels of the Malaysian Immigration Department," he said in a statement today.
He said that in the operations, a total of 96 foreign nationals were checked and 32 of them were arrested for various offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963.
"They were detained for not having valid travel documents or passports, misusing temporary work visit passes, working without valid permits and overstaying in the country," he said.
According to Mohd Rusdi, those detained involved five Bangladeshi men, India (five men), Pakistan (one man), Myanmar (four men), Indonesia (eight men and eight women), and Myanmar (one woman), all aged between 19 and 52.
He said all the detainees have been placed at the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot for investigations and further action, while four copies of Form 29 (witness summons) were also issued to assist the investigation.
“The Malaysian Immigration Department thanks the public for providing information and continuing to show concern regarding the issue of foreign nationals in this state.
"We welcome any information related to the offence of protecting illegal immigrants (PATI), human trafficking, and migrant smuggling to eradicate these activities comprehensively," he added.
-- BERNAMA
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