Tawau:Sabah The Sabah Immigration Department has successfully repatriated 5,915 illegal immigrants to their respective countries of origin this year, as part of its ongoing detainee transfer programme.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the majority of those repatriated were Filipinos, totaling 3,974 individuals. This was followed by 1,629 Indonesians, 132 Pakistanis, 132 Chinese nationals, 25 Vietnamese, and 23 individuals from other nationalities.

A recent operation saw 280 Filipino detainees being transported from the Tawau Immigration Depot to the Port of Bongao in the Philippines. The transfer was conducted via commercial ferry through the Lahad Datu Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security (ICQS) Complex. Among these detainees were 193 men, 51 women, 16 boys, and 20 girls, ranging in age from one month to 90 years. All 36 children involved were accompanied by their parents or guardians.

The department confirmed that all the detainees had completed their legal sentences and had valid travel documents before being repatriated. It also urged the public to refrain from harboring or employing illegal immigrants and encouraged immediate reporting of such activities through official channels, including the Public Complaints Management System (SISPAA) and the Online Enquiry System (SPO).