More deported with cooperation of Manila embassy
Published on: Saturday, January 30, 2016
Sandakan: Improved cooperation by the Philippine Embassy has resulted in an increase in the deportations of its nationals from Sabah lately. "We discussed with the Philippine embassy and reached an agreement to quicken the issuance of travel documents. Previously, it would have taken more than two months for us to receive the documents from them. ADVERTISEMENT "Last year, we managed to shorten the period to only six weeks. This year, we achieved another positive development when a team from the embassy made the initiative to come to the temporary detention centres here to issue travel documents without us having to present the documents to them," said National Security Council Sabah Secretary Rodzi Md Saad. He said the embassy's officers inspected the detainees at the detention centres before confirming their citizenship and issuing them the documents. "This quickened the process because they are involved in managing travel documents and interviewing the detainees to find out if they are indeed from the Philippines," he said. A total of 6,959 people are currently detained in temporary detention centres throughout the State, namely 1,630 in Kota Kinabalu, 1,987 in Papar, 1,823 in Sibuga and 1,519 in Tawau. ADVERTISEMENT He said a total of 447 Filipinos, comprising 238 men, 147 women and 62 children aged between two months and 65, were deported in the latest operation here. On the whole, the Government deported 384,469 illegals since 1990 and up to December 2011.
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Rodzi said of the figure, 74,210 voluntarily returned to their country of origin. "From 2012 to 2015, a total of 71,262 illegals comprising 54,623 Filipinos, 14,461 Indonesians and 998 others have been deported," he told a media conference, Friday. He said the number of those deported since 1990 to December 2015 amounted to 529,941 people, adding this showed the government's commitment in addressing illegal immigrant issues in the State. The media conference which was held at the Sibuga Temporary Detention Centre was also attended by the Council's Operations Section Assistant Chief Secretary ACP Abdul Rahim Mohd Isa. Rodzi said the on-going operation to eradicate illegal immigrants from Sabah is a joint effort from all security enforcement agencies led by the National Security Council Sabah office. "On-going operations are also conducted by the police, the Eastern Sabah Security Command, Immigration Department and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency," he said. He said as a result of the operations, 19,163 illegals were remanded in 2014, compared to last year which recorded 167,196 people inspected and 20,628 arrests. The number of arrests and remands done by each agency are namely, 10,275 inspections and 3,971 remands by the National Security Council, while a total of 9,042 inspection and 3,572 remands by the Immigration. This followed a total of 9,052 inspected and 2,962 remands by police, and 10,234 inspected and 562 remands done by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, while Esscom inspected a total of 128,593 and remanded 20,628 people. "The existence of Esscom has produced a significant impact in addressing security issues, particularly in the East Coast of Sabah," he said."Esscom which holds to a vision of 'no days without operation', successfully inspected 128,593 people and remanded 9,557 illegals last year," he added. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Rodzie said since setting up of two main agencies, Esscom in the East Coast and the National Security Council in the State, a total of 27,769 people were deported last year and this showed the highest number of deportation compared to previous years. "This is an achievement which we should be proud of, compared to previous years when we only managed to deport 17,720 in 2014, a total of 13,222 in 2013 and a total of 12,051 in 2012," he said.