65 illegal immigrants rounded up in Ranau
RANAU: Sixty-five illegal immigrants were detained by the Sabah Immigration Department in a large-scale operation in Ranau early Saturday morning.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs II Jonathan Yasin said the operation was carried out at 10 locations in Ranau starting at midnight, following numerous reports received by the department from the public regarding the presence of illegal immigrants in those areas.
Among the locations that were raided were Jalan Kampung Mesilou in Kundasang, Jalan Desa Cattle in Mesilou Kundasang, Kg Babukan, Kg Sinisan in Kundasang, Mile 7 Jalan Pinousuk, construction site along Jalan Mesilau Golf Course Kundasang, MRSM workers’ quarters at Tanah Merah Jalan Kompleks Ranau, and the water tank construction site workers’ quarters in Kundasang.
“Some 173 people were initially rounded up by Immigration teams for documentation inspection and from the total, 65 were detained for not having proper documents to be in the country.
“Among those held were 28 men, 15 women, and 22 children,” he said, adding that those detained were aged between one and 70 years old.
Jonathan said all the foreigners will be investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, for entering Malaysia without valid pass and for overstaying, respectively.
“They will undergo a health screening including Covid-19 tests to ensure none of them are infected by the virus before we send them to the Immigration deportation centre for further action,” he said.
Jonathan added that the operation also focused on employers who are harboring illegal immigrants.
“Action will also be taken on employers who employed foreign workers without proper documents,” he warned.