Kota Kinabalu: Twelve people were jailed four months each for entering the State illegally.
They were, Ajan Bibil, Mad Bahuim, Abdulla Hasiri, Roslan Jojoh, Pirosni Abdullah, Iyoh Beret, Sohil Abdullah, Juram Sulaiman Saddang, Maslon Ining, Nurjin Assan, Naim Amarul, and Majim Jundai aged 21 and 36.
Sessions Court Judge Azreena Aziz handed the sentence to the foreigners after they pleaded guilty to entering the State without valid documents.
The offence under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 provides for a jail term of up to five years, or a fine of up to RM10,000, and whipping, upon conviction.
The foreigners were arrested by the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) at the Kudat waters on April 20 after failing to produce their identification documents.
During mitigation, they informed the court that they had stayed in the State without any documents for between a month and four years and worked as fishermen.
The foreigners asked to be deported to their respective hometowns as soon as possible.
The court ordered the foreigners to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrests.
After completing their jail sentence, all of them were ordered referred to the Immigration Department and their biometric data be taken.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurun Nazifah Muhammad Iyen from the MMEA.
