Philippines consular group to oversee welfare and surrender of Suluks in Sarawak
KUCHING: A consular team from the Philippines Embassy in Kuala Lumpur will be dispatched to Miri to look after the welfare of Suluks who have surrendered themselves to the authorities.
Philippines Ambassador to Malaysia J Eduardo Malaya said his office is ready to assist in the repatriation of Filipinos there.
“Their documentation and other requirements will be prepared by the embassy upon coordination with Malaysian authorities?” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He was commenting on a news report that nearly 200 Suluks, including women and children, had expressed their wish to surrender during a meeting at Kampung Lereng Bukit last Thursday.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Indonesian Consulate-General in Kuching also said they would assist their citizens to return to their home country.
“We will cooperate with the Malaysian government to tackle the issue, which we consider as serious. So we will support any effort to assist our citizens?” said the spokesperson.
When contacted, state Immigration Department deputy director Hamfatullah Shawal said the department would conduct thorough checks on the illegal immigrants in Miri who have come forward to the authorities.
“We will be working closely with both the Philippine and Indonesian officials to process the necessary documents so that they could be repatriated accordingly.
“But at the same time, we will also be sensitive to their needs as we want to keep our bilateral ties, especially among Asean countries, intact?” he stressed.
However, he warned that the biometric data of those who have been repatriated would remain in the department’s records.
“That will deter them from coming back to Sarawak as their names will be blacklisted?” he explained.
Since March 18, nearly 400 Suluks and over 200 Indonesians have been arrested following a massive integrated operation by the Miri Security Taskforce comprising the Immigration Department, police, General Operations Force (GOF), Rela, Land and Survey Department, Sarawak Energy Berhad, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Marine Police and Malaysian Fisheries Department.
The Borneo Post highlighted the issue with a front page story on March 11, where local fishermen in Miri appealed to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to stop the Suluk fishermen who were muscling in on their fishing territory.