Kuala lumpur: Sixty-four foreign workers were arrested by the Immigration Department in separate raids at two factories in Padang Serai, near here, yesterday. Kedah Immigration director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain stated that the foreigners were detained during a comprehensive six-hour operation that commenced at 11 am. The operation also saw the involvement of the Manpower Department, the National Registration Department, and the Department of Environment.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the first raid targeted a battery factory where 210 workers of various nationalities were scrutinized. Out of this number, 34 individuals were apprehended, consisting of 16 Bangladeshi men, 15 Chinese men, an Indonesian man, an Indian man, and a Myanmar woman. These foreign workers, aged between 24 and 39, were found to have contravened Article 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963, as well as Section 15(1)(c) and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Mohd Ridzzuan further elaborated that the second raid took place at a plastic processing factory. Here, 42 workers of various nationalities were checked, resulting in the arrest of 30 individuals for breaching provisions in the Immigration Act. The arrested group included 12 Bangladeshi men, 17 Myanmar nationals, including five women, and a Chinese national man, with ages ranging from 29 to 45.

During the operations, several workers attempted to escape into nearby forests and adjacent factories but were unsuccessful, as enforcement officers had strategically surrounded the area. Mohd Ridzzuan emphasized that such operations will continue to deter employers from employing foreign workers who illegally remain in the country.