Malaysia detains 39 illegal workers including 12 Bangladeshis
Sunday, 15 September 2019
FE Report
Malaysian immigration department has detained 39 migrant workers, including 12 Bangladeshis, during raids at seven vegetable and flower farms in Cameron Highlands on Thursday.
Quoting the department's director general (DG), Datuk Indera Khairul Dzaimee Daud, The Star, Malaysian newspaper, on Saturday reported that the operation which was conducted together with the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission started around 4.30pm on Thursday.
"We detained 17 Indian men, 12 men from Bangladesh, seven Myanmar men, two Nepalese men and a Myanmar national suspected of working without a valid permit in the area," the DG said.
A total of 24 personnel from the Putrajaya Immigration Department were involved in simultaneously raiding seven vegetable farms at Kuala Terla in Cameron Highlands, he said.
These farms were believed to be dominated by illegal foreign workers, he said in a statement on Saturday.
"When we conducted the raid, several of these workers tried to flee, but we managed to block their escape," he said.
All the detainees were investigated for not having identification documents, overstaying, and other offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966 and Immigration Rules 1963, he added. The DG said all those detained were taken to the Lenggeng Immigration Detention Depot for further investigations and actions.
"Six employers were also given notices to come to the Immigration Department office to have their statements taken," he said.
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