KUCHING: A large-scale immigration operation held at 15 locations around Kuching on Wednesday (May 15), resulted in the arrest of 23 individuals of various foreign nationalities.
The Sarawak Immigration Department said the operation, which started as early as 10am, focused on eateries, reflexology centres, health premises, shophouses and entertainment centres.
Acting on complaints and gathered intelligence, the Kuching Immigration Enforcement Division examined a total of 133 individuals for their documentation.
Of these, 23 were arrested for various offenses such as overstaying, lacking valid travel documents, lacking valid permits to stay in Malaysia.
All cases are being investigated under Section 15(1)(c) and Section 6 (1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63; as well as Regulation 11(7)(a) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.
Following the successful operation, the department assured that they will intensify their efforts to track down foreigners found to be violating immigration laws, especially at identified hotspots.
Employers and foreigners are advised to apply for the appropriate work permits in accordance with Malaysian law provisions to avoid any legal actions.
The public are encouraged to report any information regarding the presence of undocumented migrants in their areas through online channels or directly to the nearest Immigration Enforcement Office.
Reports can be submitted via email to aduanpati_hq@imi.gov.my, through the website at https://imi.spab.gov.my or calling the hotline at 03-88801347.
