55 FOREIGN WOMEN HELD IN IMMIGRATION BLITZ

By : KELIMEN SAWATAN

FIFTY-FIVE FOREIGN women were detained by the Immigration Department here for various offences in a two-day operation under the fourth stage of the 5P programme on April 13-14.

State Immigration Director Hj Mohammad Mentek said the operation involved spot checks on entertainment and physiotherapy outlets, such as reflexology and karaoke, in Lahad Datu, Sandakan and the city.

He said the foreign women from The Philippines, China and Indonesia, aged between 19 and 32, were found to have contravened provisions of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (revised 2002) for overstaying and entering the state illegally, and Regulation 39 (b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating their social visit passes.

He said the operators of some of the outlets had continued to commit the offences after enforcement personnel raided their premises previously.

“For example, during a raid on an entertainment outlet in Bongawan recently, 15 workers were detained by immigration enforcement personnel and out of the figure, seven Filipinas were found to have committed offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

“What is more saddening is that despite being raided previously, the outlets continued to defy the law,” he said, adding that there are operators who treated the law with contempt.

“We are looking seriously into the issue of foreigners working here without valid documents, or in violation of their passes.

“Employers should play their role to assist us in overcoming this problem,” he said, adding that the operation would continue from time to time to curb the deluge of illegal foreign workers in the state. (theborneopost)