KUALA LUMPUR: The Sabah Immigration Department has deported 9,938 illegal immigrants from four detention depots in the state to their countries of origin between 2021 and March 27 this year.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said they comprised 2,497 illegal immigrants in 2021, 5,450 last year and 1,991 between Jan 1 and March 27 this year.
"The Home Ministry is stepping up efforts to deport detainees to their countries of origin by holding regular negotiations with the Philippine and Indonesian embassies," he said during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was replying to a question from Lo Su Fui (GRS-Tawau), who wanted to know about the action taken against illegal immigrants in Sabah, especially in Tawau.
Shamsul Anuar said the Sabah Immigration Department's statistics up to March 27 showed that 4,655 illegal immigrants had been detained at four Immigration depots in Sabah, namely Papar, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau.
Based on enforcement activities involving business premises and enterprises, Shamsul said, 1,076 enforcement operations were carried out, leading to the arrests of 1,881 illegal immigrants and 45 employers in 2021.
He said last year, the Sabah Immigration Department carried out 700 enforcement operations, resulting in the arrests of 1,437 illegal immigrants and 14 employers for various immigration offences.
"A total of 265 operations, 487 arrests, including of two employers, and 6,405 inspections were made so far this year."
He said the ministry took a serious view of the issue, adding that a more comprehensive and strategic plan was needed to enhance enforcement against illegal immigrants. Bernama