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Kota Kinabalu: Several thousand Filipino deportees in Sabah are facing extended uncertainty and challenges as they await deportation due to unavailability of ferry services.

The consular team from the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur reportedly issued some 450 special passes to its nationals at temporary detention centres in the state who have violated Malaysia's immigration travel regulations.

However, their deportation encountered obstacles due to refusal of maritime clearance by Philippine authorities, a source close to a Zamboanga-based ferry operator appointed by the Sabah government, told Daily Express.

The last deportation took was in May and even that after a prolonged wait, leaving the thousands of deportees to be cared for by Malaysian tax payers that runs into millions of ringgit.

These deportees comprising men, women, elderly, youth and children cannot return unless special passes are issued by their embassy and ferry services become operational.

The lack of sea transportation has exacerbated the situation for these individuals despite the willingness of Sabah authorities to facilitate the deportation of immigration violators.