LAHAD DATU: The Sabah Immigration Department deported another 180 Filipino illegals through the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex, here, Friday.
State Immigration Director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said the exercise involved detainees at the Sandakan and Tawau Immigration Depots.
She said the deportees comprised 64 men, 67 women and 49 children aged between seven months and 67. The children were accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
“They were sent home to Bongao Jetty, Philippines by MV Ming Hai Express ferry on a self-financing programme.
“All the deportees had committed offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963 for entering the State without a valid permit or pass, as well as overstaying,” she said.
She said the department has to date sent back 5,993 Filipinos and a total of 8,650 foreign illegals to their countries of origin.
All the illegal immigrants will be blacklisted according to the type of offences committed.
“The implementation of the illegals repatriation programme by the Sabah Immigration Department is subject to issuance of travel documents from the Philippines Embassy in Malaysia,” she said.
Sh Sitti Saleha said the department would not compromise with any foreign nationals found abusing the country’s laws and regulations.
“We will intensify enforcement operations from time to time to combat the presence of illegal immigrants in our country,” she added.
