Kota Kinabalu: The Tawau Temporary Detention Centre will be able to accommodate about 1,500 illegal immigrants once expansion works to build six new blocks are completed within six months.The National Security Council has just approved the allocation and the project has been tendered out É works could commence early next month, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.
Speaking after chairing the meeting with the State Security Division and Federal Special Task Force for Sabah and Labuan at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, Saturday, he said four old blocks at the centre would be demolished and replaced with newer buildings.
Each block would accommodate up to 150 illegal immigrants awaiting deportion, he said, adding even though the new facility would not be able to accommodate all detainees it would be sufficient since they would not be staying there for long.
Apart from visiting the detention centre in Tawau, Nazri also visited several security posts in islands on the East Coast as well as the site for temporary detention centre in Papar.
Nazri also said the Government spent about RM6 million to catch, hold and deport illegal immigrants in Sabah last year.
"Every month we are sending home 1,500 mostly Indonesians but as you know our border is porous," he said, adding that some of the foreigners entered Sabah legally but ended up overstaying, making them illegal. "The security posts set up on several islands are also aimed at nipping the problem in the bud. We catch from the source (to prevent illegals entering)," he said.
Nazri said there are delays in deporting Filipinos because the Philippines has no consulate in Sabah and its government would not accept the manifest system that was being used to repatriate Indonesians.
"For Indonesians it is a bit easy because they have a consulate office in Tawau and allow us to use the manifest system whereby they accept those to be deported under one list of names.
"But for the Philippine Government, they want to issue the travel documents to each of those bound for deportation so it takes time," he said.
However, Nazri was told that things were moving quickly now and the only delay was on the part of immigration where they have to scrutinise the particulars.
Another approach to expedite the deportation was to bring those nabbed for illegal stay straight to the temporary detention centre instead of bringing them to the court. "This would avoid delays," he said.
Nazri said he visited the proposed permanent security post sites in Boheydulang Island, Mataking Island and Sungai Melayu in Sebatik Island.
As the minister-in-charge of the National Security Council, he also went to Sipadan Island where he looked at the development of the new structures on the island that had been approved by the Cabinet.
"We don't want a major development there and only 120 divers are allowed on the island every day," he said.
According to him, among the structures being built on Sipadan were toilet, office and quarters for the park rangers, quarters for the General Operations Force (GOF) and army personnel as well as a watch tower and resting area.
"Hopefully it can be completed by September this year," he said.
Nazri said the purpose of his visit was to see the level of security in Sabah particularly in the security posts manned by the GOF and army in strategic islands in terms of living quarters, supplies as well as reports.
"These islands belong to us so we must ensure that we have our authorities there," he said.
Nazri would also visit Labuan on Sunday where he would be looking at the translocation of the Filipino refugees at Pulau Kuraman to the settlement in Kiansam.
