Over 100 foreigners held in Brickfields Little India raid

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — The Immigration Department has arrested more than 100 foreigners for various immigration offences in an enforcement operation conducted around Jalan Thamby Abdullah, Brickfields here today.

Immigration deputy director-general (operations) Jafri Embok Taha said 370 foreigners including 35 women in the area were checked comprising Indian nationals, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Myanmar and Nepalese, aged between 25 and 71.

Some 224 officers and personnel from various agencies, led by the Immigration Department, raided over 30 premises in the operation that began at 1 pm.

The premises involved were residences, clothing stores, restaurants, hair saloons, beauty supply shops, and convenience stores.

“All 100 detainees would be taken to the Semenyih Immigration Detention Depot to be investigated under Section 6 (1) (C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, Immigration Regulations 1963 and Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom) 2007.

“Among the offences were lacking personal documentation, overstaying and abuse of passes,” he told reporters after the operation.

Jafri Embok said the raid was in response to public complaints about the influx of foreign residents in the area.

On another matter, he said registration for the Workforce Recalibration Programme (RTK 2.0) ended on Dec 31 after two years of implementation.

“After this, a verification process will be conducted until March 31. Then, action will be taken against foreign workers who have not gone through the verification process especially those holding RTK card,” he said.