Kanthan: Scrambling in panic, as if running out of land. That was what happened at a timber factory producing doors in Kanthan, Chemor near here today, when foreign workers fled as soon as enforcement officers from the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) arrived at the scene.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, during Op Mahir, some foreigners were willing to hide between high-stacked wooden boards to avoid detection, but their attempt failed when immigration enforcement officers found them lying down, with some sustaining minor injuries in the process of hiding. Observations revealed that some of the foreigners also tried to hide among industrial waste bins and wardrobes, even resulting in torn clothes and dirty appearances as they desperately evaded the enforcement officers.
Attempts by several individuals to scale the compound walls of the factory also failed as the walls were too high, besides being fitted with barbed wire. Immigration Director-General Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said at a press conference tonight that Op Mahir, which began at 7:00 pm yesterday, was carried out jointly with several other agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police, and involved three state JIM offices - Perak, Kuala Lumpur - as well as the headquarters.
Zakaria stated that the operation was conducted around Bercham and Kanthan, Chemor, targeting timber factories, glove factories, and food courts. According to him, JIM inspected 305 workers involved, and of that number, 175 individuals suspected of immigration offenses were detained, the majority of whom were from Bangladesh, alongside nationals from Myanmar and Vietnam.
"Most of them committed primary offences of being undocumented, lacking valid permits, and engaging in employment, which are offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63. Apart from that, there were also those who possessed permits, but the permits did not belong to the company they were working for. That is also an immigration offence," he said.
Zakaria noted that JIM has also identified several cases involving the use of fake Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS) and did not rule out the possibility that employers used agents who issued fraudulent PLKS. He said JIM will conduct further investigations into the modus operandi to track down the syndicates involved in issuing these fake PLKS.
Consequently, he emphasised that JIM will continue its widespread enforcement operations nationwide and take uncompromising action against those who commit offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63, including employers who hire these foreign nationals if found guilty.