Kota Kinabalu: Thirteen illegal immigrants from China and one Egyptian national were deported to their respective countries from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) on Thursday.
The detainees, held at the Papar Immigration Depot, were flown to Guangzhou, China, and Cairo, Egypt.
Sabah Immigration Department (JIM) Director Datuk SH Sitti Saleha Habib Yusoff said the deportation exclusively involved adult male detainees.
“The deportation of the Chinese detainees under a self-funded programme was conducted from the Papar Immigration Depot via KKIA using China Southern Airlines to Guangzhou, China.
“As for the Egyptian detainee, he was sent via Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Cairo, Egypt,” she said in a press statement.
She added that the frequency of JIM Sabah’s deportation programmes depends on cooperative relations with foreign embassies in Malaysia.
“This deportation operation is part of the department’s continuous effort to reduce the detention period for those held at immigration depots across Sabah.
“The Sabah Immigration Department will not tolerate any foreign nationals who misuse the passes and facilities provided. Prosecution will be initiated against employers and property owners who hire undocumented foreign nationals or those without valid permits.
“This includes individuals who violate the conditions of their passes or permits under Act 155 and the Immigration Regulations 1963,” she said.
In light of this, she urged employers and the public to ensure that hiring foreign workers is done through legal and lawful channels.
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