ASP Zawi Awang
MIRI: General Operations Force (GOF) personnel arrested 11 Indonesians for allegedly working here without valid passports and permits after a raid on Monday.
In the 3.30pm operation known as ‘Ops Libas’, 24 GOF 12th battalion personnel led by ASP Zawi Awang raided a café at Pelita Commercial Centre and conducted a check on 14 Indonesians, including a 57-year-old woman.
“We acted based on a tip-off from the public. After checking their passports and permits, we found that six of them, including the 57-year-old woman, were working without such documents,” Zawi said during a press conference held at the GOF Battalion 2 headquarters here yesterday.
“Five others had passports but no working permits.”
He added that the three other Indonesians were released after they were found to have valid working permits and passports.
“The six arrested will be held under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, while the other five are being investigated under Section 39(b) of the same act,” he said.
The authorities also arrested two local men aged 34 and 35 who were the owner of the café and also employer of 10 of the illegal immigrants, respectively.
They will be investigated under Section 55(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
All 11 foreigners have been sent to the Bekenu Immigration Depot while the two locals are being held at Miri Central Police Station for further investigation.
On another note, when asked to give statistics on the number of illegal immigrants arrested here, Zawi said that 312 have been arrested between Jan 1 and Oct 12.
“They were arrested at various places, such as coffee shops and construction sites. Of the 312 people arrested so far, 101 were Filipino, 200 were Indonesians and 11 were Indians,” he revealed.
GOF will continue to carry out raids to ensure that business operators or owners do not employ foreign workers without the necessary documents.