LUNDU: Monday (July 12) was a busy day for eight illegal immigrants who crossed the Sarawak-Indonesian border but were sent back to their own country.
The 11th General Operations Force (GOF) Battalion caught five of them — three men, a woman and a child —entering the state illegally at a rat trail in Telok Melano around 7.20pm on Monday while the 10th GOF Battalion caught three of them —two Indonesian women and a toddler —at the Jalan Ladang Amir area, Jalan Lachau-Serian in Pantu around 9.30pm also on the same day.
GOF commander, SAC Saini Bongkek said the 11th Battalion was conducting patrols near the Malaysia-Indonesia border when they came across the illegal immigrants.
“During questioning, the immigrants failed to produce any valid travel documents,” he said.
The group of five, he added, had committed offences under the Immigration Act 1959 (Act 155) and Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) and were ordered to return to their country of origin via the Malaysia-Indonesia border entrance with the help of the Indonesian army.
Meanwhile, the 10th GOF Battalion was conducting patrols at the Jalan Ladang Amir area near Jalan Lachau-Serian in Pantu when it was alerted by the People Volunteer’s Corp (Rela) members on the entry of illegal immigrants at a rat trail there.
“After patrolling the area, the battalion spotted and detained three Indonesians consisting of two women and a toddler near a hut.
“During questioning, the immigrants failed to produce any valid travel documents,” said Saini.
The group had also committed offences under Section 6(1) of the Immigration Act 1959 (Act 155) and Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342). They were later ordered to return to their country of origin via the same route they had used to enter the state.
