SANDAKAN: The Sabah Immigration Department has repatriated 8,405 undocumented migrants to their home countries between January and Nov 5 this year, comprising 7,680 sent by sea and 725 by air.
Sabah Immigration Department Director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said Filipinos formed the largest group at 6,165, followed by Indonesians (1,896), Chinese (142), Pakistanis (139), Vietnamese (29), and other nationalities (34).
In the latest exercise on Nov 5, authorities sent 802 Filipinos from the Kota Kinabalu and Papar depots through Sandakan Port to Zamboanga City aboard MV Antonia 1, while 107 Indonesians from the Tawau depot were repatriated via Tawau Port to Nunukan.
Statewide enforcement operations from Jan 1 to Nov 4 saw 26,958 individuals inspected across 1,412 operations, leading to the arrest of 4,989 undocumented migrants and 238 employers.
Sitti Saleha warned that the department will not compromise with errant bosses, reminding that harbouring undocumented migrants under the Immigration Act 1959/63 carries fines of up to RM50,000, imprisonment, and whipping.
