Staff Reporter :
The Perak immigration department conducted a drive at the Bercham Flats on Saturday, where they inspected 358 migrant workers and arrested 158 for being undocumented.
These individuals were found to be living in Malaysia without valid visas or permits, or they had overstayed past their allowed duration.
Perak Immigration Director Meor Hezbullah Meor Abd Malik confirmed the details to the media.
According to the immigration department, the detainees were from Indonesia, Vietnam, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
Among them were 83 men, 54 women, 8 boys, and 3 girls, ranging in age from 9 to 60 years old. Most of these individuals were renting apartments from local landlords.
Approximately 560 units in 15 blocks were inspected during the operation, stated Meor Hezbullah Meor Abd Malik.
The immigration chief added that, following the recent arrests, the department would investigate every homeowner who rented their units to undocumented migrants.
Consistent with the government’s policy, the Malaysian immigration department is continuously conducting drives against illegal migrant workers across the country.
Undocumented migrant workers are frequently detained by the immigration department.
Malaysia heavily relies on foreign workers as it experiences rapid growth in various industries. A significant portion of these migrants becomes undocumented due to changing jobs without proper permissions and overstaying their visas.
The country is the second-largest destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, who are often arrested for becoming undocumented.