Seri Kembangan:The Malaysian Immigration Department has detained 174 foreign nationals and six local employers during enforcement operations conducted in Seri Kembangan and Bandar Baru Klang.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban stated that officials checked a total of 307 individuals, which included 121 locals and 186 foreigners. The checks resulted in the detention of 174 foreigners for various offenses such as pass abuse, overstaying, and lacking valid travel documents. The detained individuals included Myanmar nationals, 29 Indonesians, 11 Thais, 10 Vietnamese, seven each from China and India, five Bangladeshis, two each from Laos and Nepal, and one each from Cambodia and Nigeria.

Zakaria mentioned that six local employers were also detained under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63. Additionally, 17 witness notices, known as Form 29, were issued to several customers present during the operations.

All detained foreign nationals, aged between two and 46, were sent to the Semenyih Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation and action under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and Immigration Regulations 1963. The operation was carried out by the Putrajaya Immigration Department Enforcement Division at nine locations starting at 7.30 pm, following public complaints and two weeks of intelligence gathering.

A total of 149 officers of various ranks were involved in the operations, which targeted business premises suspected of illegal activities, including the employment and harboring of unauthorized foreign workers. Zakaria highlighted that up to the current date, 1,880 employers have been detained, with total compounds collected amounting to RM41 million.

He emphasized that the Immigration Department will not tolerate foreign nationals residing illegally, overstaying, or abusing their passes in Malaysia, and stern action will be taken against any party employing or harboring illegal immigrants.