Malaysia detains 37 undocumented Bangladeshis

As many as 37 Bangladeshi nationals, who were in Malaysia reportedly as undocumented workers, were arrested on Sunday.

They are among 189 ‘illegal’ foreign workers who were detained by Malaysia's Sarawak immigration department in a dawn raid on a construction site in Balingian, Mukah, reports The Bernama Post.

Immigration spokesman Maspaun Bolhasan was quoted to have said that the operation mounted between 5am and 8.30am involved 72 officers.

She said the team rounded up 376 individuals comprising 158 Indonesians, 127 Chinese, 43 Indians, 37 Bangladeshis, seven Filipinos, one Sri Lankan and three locals.

“Upon inspection, 119 of the men and two women (67 Indonesians; 16 Chinese; 16 Indians; 18 Bangladeshis; and four Filipinos) were found without valid travel documents, an offence under Section 6(1)(c)Immigration Act 1959/63,” she was quoted to have said.

The official added that 14 other Indian workers, seven Bangladeshis and the sole Sri Lankan were arrested for allegedly abusing their social visit passes.

State Immigration director Ken Leben termed the arrests the biggest by far this year, and said, “We will not compromise with any quarters, individuals or companies, in combating the problem of illegal foreign workers. We will take stern action against those responsible including hauling them to the courts.”

The detainees were detained at the department’s detention depot in Simuja near Serian town pending further investigations, according to the Bernama.

Source: Prothom Alo