SANDAKAN: A total of 3,036 illegal immigrants, mostly Filipinos and Indonesians, have been sent back to their country of origin so far this year.
Sabah National Security Council (NSC) director Datuk Rodzi Md Saad said of the total, 2,556 were Filipinos, 400 Indonesians, and 80 from countries such as Pakistan, China and South Korea.
He said in the latest repatriation process, 691 Filipinos were sent from Sandakan to Zamboanga Philippines yesterday, by boat.
Of the total, 425 were men, 161 women, and 106 children, aged between 1 month and 70 years, he said in a statement yesterday.
Rodzi said a total of 567,581 illegal immigrants had surrendered themselves to be deported since 1990.
He said the department was working hard to make Sabah free of illegal immigrants, and would not compromise with any party for the safety of Sabahans. — Bernama