SANDAKAN: A total of 764 undocumented Filipinos were deported from Malaysia to the Philippines via Sandakan Port yesterday.
The detainees, held at the Papar Immigration Depot, were transported on the MV Antonia vessel to Zamboanga City Port in the Philippines.
Sabah Immigration Director Datuk SH Sitti Saleha Habib said the deportees included 302 men, 208 women, 212 children aged below 12 and 42 infants.
This marks the 20th deportation exercise by sea for this category in 2024.
The detainees committed various offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963.
SH Sitti Saleha said the deportation process is based on Malaysia's immigration law and legal procedures.
To date, a total of 5,503 Filipino detainees have been repatriated, bringing the overall number of deported illegal immigrants to 7,873.
She said the frequency of these deportations depends on cooperation with the embassies in Malaysia.
"The deportation operations are part of Sabah Immigration Department continuous efforts at all immigration depots in Sabah."