SANDAKAN: The Sabah Immigration Department has deported 802 Filipino undocumented migrants to the Philippines as part of its ongoing efforts to curb illegal immigration and strengthen enforcement across the state.
The group was transported from Sandakan Port to Zamboanga City aboard the MV Antonia 1 on Nov 5.
The deportees comprised 501 men, 127 women, 93 boys and 81 girls. They were transferred from the Kota Kinabalu and Papar Immigration Detention Depots.
On the same day, another 107 Indonesian detainees were repatriated from Tawau Port to Nunukan, Indonesia, via a commercial ferry service.
Sabah Immigration Department director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof on Thursday said a total of 8,405 undocumented migrants of various nationalities had been repatriated as of Nov 5 this year.
In a separate operation, the department detained 14 Chinese men aged between 26 and 44 during OPS SERKAP in Kota Kinabalu on Nov 4.
The operation, involving 49 immigration enforcement officers, followed about a week of intelligence gathering and surveillance at a three-storey bungalow suspected of being used as a base for online scam activities.
Initial investigations found that 13 of the men were suspected of overstaying in Malaysia under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, while another was suspected of entering or remaining in the country without a valid pass or permit under Section 6(1)(c) of the same Act.
Officers also seized RM3,742 and Chinese Yuan 560, 14 laptops, 75 mobile phones, 13 chairs, six tables and internet equipment believed to be linked to activities at the premises.
The department said enforcement operations would continue, with strict action against individuals and employers who violate immigration laws, including those harbouring foreign workers without valid documentation or permits.
Members of the public, particularly Sabah residents, are urged to report suspicious activities to the authorities to help curb illegal immigration and related criminal activities. – James Leong
The deportation process in progress at the Sandakan Port on Nov 5.
