Kota Kinabalu: A total of 4,658 illegal immigrants were deported to their countries of origin since September in Sabah.
“Since the resumption of the deportation exercises which started last September, we have successfully deported 4,658 immigration violators,” Sabah Immigration Diretor Datuk Sharifah Sitti Saleha Habib Yusof said.
Of the figures, she said 3,015 were Filipinos, 1,427 Indonesians and 216 other nationalities.
Sharifah said the deportees were arrested and detained for violating Malaysia’s travel requirements during operations against illegal immigrants in Sabah.
The deportees were detained at the various Immigration temporary holding centres statewide, she said.
The recent deportation exercise was carried out last Nov 16 involving 480 Filipinos. They were deported from Sandakan to Zamboanga City onboard M/V Dona Antonia 1.
Of the figure, 340 men, 82 women and 58 children below 12 years old.
“The returning Filipinos came from the Tawau Immigration Temporary Depot,” Sharifah said, adding that more operation against illegal immigrants will continue to be carried out until the end of this year.
She urged foreigners wishing to visit Sabah to ensure that they are properly equipped with Malaysia’s immigration requirements to avoid unnecessary problems.
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