KUCHING: Fifteen undocumented Indonesian immigrants, including a child, who harboured the dream of having a better life in Sarawak, were deported to their country following a failed attempt to enter and leave the state illegally over a period of three days from Tuesday (Dec 22) to Thursday (Dec 24).
According to the First Infantry Division, four incidents of immigrants attempting to enter and leave Sarawak at the Malaysia-Indonesia international border were detected.
The first incident was detected on Dec 22, around 1.30pm at a jalan tikus (rat trail) of an oil palm plantation route in Biawak, where a patrol team managed to detain six Indonesians – including a woman and a child. They did not have any valid travel documents and were attempting to cross the border to enter Indonesia.
“In the second incident on Dec 23 around 10.15pm in an oil palm plantation route of Kampung Kendaie, an army team detained three Indonesians in a four-wheel-drive (4WD) driven by a local man and another three Indonesians on two motorcycles.
“The man attempted to smuggle the three Indonesians into the state via an illegal route. All of them were taken to the Lundu police station for Covid-19 screening before further action was taken,” a military spokesman said.
The two Indonesian women who attempted to leave the state through a rat trail. 
Army personnel with an Indonesian man who was picked up from a rat trail in Biawak.
The third incident happened at 11.30pm on Dec 23 in Tebedu where two more Indonesians were detained after being spotted on an oil palm plantation route heading towards the international border from Malaysia.
After being examined and interrogated, the duo claimed they were from Kuching and wanted to return to Entikong via the rat trail. The two were deported after a report was lodged at the Tebedu police station.
The spokesman said the fourth incident occurred at 8.42am on Dec 24 in Biawak where an Indonesian was detained after being seen walking towards the international border through an oil palm plantation route.
He did not have any valid travel documents and attempted to return to Indonesia via a rat trail in Biawak.
All the foreigners, were deported to their country after police reports were lodged.
The First Infantry Division spokesman said the army would not compromise with any party attempting to commit a crime and cross the state border illegally.
