KUANTAN: Three children are among 50 foreigners detained by the Immigration Department at four construction sites here today.
Pahang Immigration Department director Nursafariza Ihsan said the Indonesians and Bangladeshis were detained for not possessing the required documents and for holding expired work permits.
She said the foreigners were detained by a 38-member enforcement team in a six-hour operation, which began around midnight.
"Inspections were conducted at the 'rumah kongsi' (workers' quarters) in Pancing and Indera Mahkota.
"We screened more than 100 people, and detained 42 men, five women and three children .
"Their employers will be called in to assist investigations.
"Employers should know the status of their workers before hiring them.
"Most of the workers were asleep during the operation. Some tried to run away upon realising our presence, but our enforcement team had cordoned off the construction sites"
Nursafariza said those arrested were taken to the Immigration office in Indera Mahkota for documentation processing before they were sent to the Kemayan Detention Depot in Bera.
She said that last year, 2,543 foreign labourers were detained in Pahang, while 10,449 people voluntarily turned themselves in to the department under the Migrant Repatriation Programme.