At least 1,160 undocumented Bangladeshis have so far been arrested in Malaysia since July by the host country’s immigration department, according to a Bernama report published on Monday.
A total of 3,014 illegal immigrants and 57 employers were detained by the Immigration Department during the E-Card Ops Mega carried out since last July until 8am on Sunday, said the report.
Malaysian immigration director-general Mustafar Ali said that 180 employers were also issued notices to present themselves at the department to record their statements.
He said the illegal immigrants who were detained comprised 1,160 Bangladeshi nationals, 695 Indonesians, 231 from Myanmar, 116 Vietnamese, 111 Thais, 95 Filipinos and the remaining from other countries.
‘A total of 2,429 of them are men, 570 women and 15 children, he said in a statement.
He said the illegal immigrants were among 9,302 people rounded up in 502 operations conducted during the period.
Mustafar said employers found to employ illegal immigrants would not only face charges under the Immigration Act, but also for offences under the Anti-Trafficking In Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act, if there was an element of forced labour or exploitation.
The department, he said, would continue to carry out operations against illegal immigrants, as well as hunt down errant employers.
‘The department has given ample time for employers to register their workers who are illegal immigrants under E-Card programme, but they did not take the opportunity to do so,’ he added.
Source: New Age
