Posted on 03/01/2005 5:19:31 PM PST by Conservative Firster
The Star Online > Nation
Nationwide hunt for illegals begins after midnight: Real Player | Media Player
KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no let-up in the Government’s efforts to flush out the estimated 400,000 illegal immigrants still in the country.
That was the warning sounded by the authorities after Ops Tegas got under way nationwide yesterday to weed them out.
As the operation entered its second day today, Immigration enforcement director Datuk Ishak Mohamed warned that the illegals would have nowhere to hide as this nationwide operation would go on until everyone was arrested.
Ishak said the operation, involving 30,000 personnel, went on smoothly and was incident-free.
“Everything is being well-coordinated although it involved several authorities. Everything is going on according to plans.
“I am satisfied with the operations as the department had not expected a large number of illegals to be detained on the very first day,” he said in an interview.
As at press time, the number arrested on the first day stands at 760 after 4,425 foreigners were screened by raiding teams throughout the nation. The raiding parties involved members from the Immigration, Rela and Rukun Tetangga.
Also arrested were two Malaysians for allegedly harbouring and employing illegal immigrants.
(From left, state immigration enforcement chief Husin Musa, immigration officer V. Prasad, Rela members Arpah Md Yatim and Ghafar Wahab checking the passports of foreign workers at Taman Semabok Perdana in Malacca during 'Ops Tegas' Tuesday. - STARpic by Lee Yuk Peng)
Ishak said illegals, their employers and people who harbour them would have to face the consequences when enforcement personnel knock on their doors.
“We have already detained a Malaysian in Penang for harbouring an illegal immigrant,” said Ishak, adding that the foreigners would be detained even if they were to surrender now.
He said the man was detained for harbouring an Indonesian woman in his house yesterday.
Ishak said there were enough enforcement personnel to carry out daily raids for as long as they were required.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has advised the relevant agencies involved in rounding up illegal immigrants not to be rough towards them.
“We have told them to treat the illegal immigrants as best as possible according to the country’s laws,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with a group of businessmen from Florida, Najib said the Government had given ample time for the illegal immigrants to leave the country.
“We have postponed the operation to nab them several times. Now that it has started, those who have not heeded our advice will suffer the consequences of their action,” he said.
In an early morning raid in Cheras yesterday, Federal Territory Rela director Mejar Aminuddin Mohd Yusoff said his men had been advised not to use excessive force when screening for illegals.
“Of the 450 personnel in my team, only six officers are armed with pistols and 20 carry batons,” he told reporters during the raid where they arrested 62 people after screening more than 500 foreigners.
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So, that makes them political refugees. We will put out the red carpet for them.
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