515 Bangladeshi laborers held in Malaysia

A total of 1,035 foreign laborers, including 515 Bangladeshis, were arrested on the first day crackdown for living in Malaysia without valid documents, reports New Straits Times.

The arrests were made at various locations throughout the Malaysia beginning Friday midnight.

The country’s Immigration Department conducted the nationwide operation titled “Ops Mega” to crack down on illegal foreign workers following the passing of the E-Card registration deadline on the day.

Datuk Mustafar Ali, Director-general of the country’s Immigration Department, said a total of 3,393 people were screened at 155 premises.

“Out of the 1,035 illegal immigrants (rounded up), Bangladeshis make up the (majority at) 515 people, followed by people of various nationalities at 226, and Indonesians at 135,” he added.

The foreigners were being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Amendment 2002) and for violating their visit passes under Section 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963.