Immigration Department charges premises guard and 11 illegal immigrants
KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) Pahang charged a local premises guard and 11 illegal immigrants (PATI) from Myanmar at the Kemayan Session Court for Illegal Immigrants in Bera last Thursday.
JIM Pahang, in a statement on its official Facebook page, announced that the premises guard was fined RM20,000 after pleading guilty to charges under Section 55E(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) for allowing illegal immigrants to stay on their premises.
According to the statement, the 11 illegal immigrants from Myanmar were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from five to seven months for offenses under Section 15(1)(c) and 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering the country without valid passes or permits and overstaying.
“All defendants charged were apprehended as a result of enforcement operations by JIM Pahang throughout July this year,” it clarified.
JIM Pahang reminded the public not to employ foreign workers without valid passes or permits and not to allow illegal immigrants to stay on their premises.
“Strict action without compromise will be taken against illegal immigrants and any party that provides shelter to them,” it stated.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, JIM Pahang announced the detention of 36 illegal immigrants suspected of entering and working in the country illegally during raids on several premises around the districts of Kuantan, Raub, and Lipis last Monday.
According to the statement, the detained illegal immigrants, aged between 22 and 51, included 12 from Bangladesh, 11 from Indonesia, 8 from Myanmar, 3 from Thailand, 1 from Vietnam, and 1 from India.
“In the Ops Mahir, Selera, and Ops Minyak operations, a total of 89 individuals were inspected, and 36 of them were detained for various offenses under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
“All detainees are remanded for 14 days under Section 51(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 at the Kemayan Immigration Depot for further investigation,” it said.
JIM Pahang also stated that it is currently tracking the owners of the involved premises to assist in the investigation.