OFF TO JAIL: Tejuddin (left) looks on as his men escort the convicted Indonesians to Sibu Central Prison.
BINTANGOR: Twelve Indonesian nationals were fined RM600 each, in default six months’ imprisonment for abusing their social visit passes.
They were convicted on their own guilty plea by Sarikei Sessions Court last Wednesday to a charge framed under Section 11(7) (a) of Immigration Regulations 1963 which carries a maximum RM1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.
On failing to pay the fine, the 12 convicted Indonesians were sent to Sibu Central Prison yesterday after serving a day and a night of the sentence in Bintangor’s police lockup.
According to Divisional Immigration chief Awang Tejuddin Pengiran Innu, the accused comprising 11 men and a woman were arrested by the Immigration enforcement team conducting `Ops Selera’ at a food outlet (Popular Food Court) here on Jan 3.
When apprehended, the accused told them their travel documents were kept by their employer but were unsure whether he had legalised their employment.
Tejuddin said when met, the employer only produced the accused’s passports and social visit passes.
“So we referred to Section 11(7)(a) of Immigration Regulations 1963 to charge the accused,” he said, adding that there was no room for compromise as the government had given foreigners ample time to comply with the country’s immigration laws.
He cited the year-long 6P amnesty programme which entailed registration, whitening, forgiveness, monitoring, enforcement and deportation as the best opportunity extended to illegal immigrants in the state to be exempted from any legal action if they voluntarily show up to sort out immigration-related matters.
They were directed to embark on drastic course of action to address the problem such as conducting ‘Ops Selera’, ‘Ops Sayang’ and ‘Ops Bersepadu’.
He reminded locals intending to employ foreigners to follow the procedures and go through the proper channel.
Referring to the 12 Indonesians arrested on Jan 3 and subsequently convicted in court under Section 11(7)(a) of Immigration Regulations 1963, Tejuddin said there would have been no such case had the law had been obeyed.
Anyone employing foreigners illegally was liable to be charged under Section 55B of the Immigration Act if there is sufficient evident to implicate, he added.
Under the Act, offenders are liable to be compounded in the sum of RM5,000 for each foreigner employed and if convicted, liable to a fine of not less than RM10,000 and not exceeding RM50,000.