Ops Patuh : 229 foreign nationals detained

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 -- The Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) detained 229 foreign nationals in Ops Patuh at a scrap metal factory in Meru, Klang, near here, this morning. 

Those detained comprising 99 Indian nationals, Bangladeshis (88), Pakistani nationals (33), Myanmar nationals (five), Indonesians (three) and a Nepalese, aged between 22 and 45 years old.

JIM director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said further inspection at the factory found that the premises had flouted the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of Phase One of the movement control under the National Recovery Plan.

The premises committed an offence under the Immigration Act, namely, using foreign labourers who were without documents and overstayed.

“The factory was also slapped with an RM10,000 compound by the police for flouting the movement control’s SOPs.

“It was also compounded RM20,000 by the Department of Labour of Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) for failing to comply with the movement control’s SOP on the management of the workplace,” he said in a statement today.

According to Khairul Dzaimee, those detained underwent the COVID-19 screening tests before being sent to the Immigration Depot in Semenyih, near here, for investigation on various offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passports Act 1966 and Immigration Regulations 1963.

-- BERNAMA