TAWAU: A total of 232 Indonesian illegal immigrants, including a two-month-old baby, were deported via sea from Tawau to Nunukan Port, Tunon Taka Terminal, Indonesia, on Tuesday.
Sabah Immigration Director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said the deportees ranged in age from two months to 69 years and comprised 123 men, 72 women and 37 children.
They were previously detained at the Immigration Depots in Kota Kinabalu, Papar and Sandakan.
“The eighth series of this sea repatriation programme for illegal immigrants was carried out in cooperation with the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kota Kinabalu, using two express ferries - Purnama Express and Francis Express,” she said in a statement.
SPONSORED CONTENT Electrifying windows of opportunity in Sabah - The right policies, collaborations, and strategies can turn emerging opportunities into victories for all parties in Sabah. CHIEF Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor’s 2021 Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya Plan and the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA) have laid out a road map to an exciting future for all Sabahans, with a target of increasing Sabah’s income levels and GDP per capita from about RM 23,000 to about RM 40,000 by 2030. Read more She added that the operation was conducted according to national legal procedures and with verification from the embassy of the detainees’ home country.
She also advised all foreign nationals to ensure they have valid travel documents or work permits before entering Sabah, as enforcement operations are ongoing.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.