TAWAU: The Sabah Immigration Department deported 218 Indonesians from the Tawau Immigration Depot to their home country on Tuesday.
The illegal immigrants were transported via the Tawau Ferry Terminal to Nunukan Port in Indonesia.
The group comprised 184 men, 24 women, eight boys and two girls, with ages ranging from one to 80 years. Children participating in the programme were accompanied by their parents or guardians.
“This latest deportation brings the total number of Indonesian nationals repatriated this year to 2,375. Since the programme’s inception, a total of 10,431 illegal immigrants have been deported from Sabah alone.
“All detained illegal immigrants have completed their sentences according to established legal provisions and possess valid Travel Documents in Lieu of Passport (SPLP) to qualify for the repatriation process,” said Sabah Immigration Director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof.
She added that the frequency of repatriation programmes depends on the processing time for SPLP issuance by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Sabah.
She encouraged employers to participate in the digital data collection programme for foreign nationals currently being implemented by the State Government to manage and record the presence of foreign workers in the State, particularly in the plantation sector.
“This State Government initiative is expected to curb issues related to the documentation of various documents and the influx of illegal immigrants in Sabah,” she said.
She said the Department will take action without compromise against any employer found harbouring foreign workers without valid documentation.
Under the Immigration Act 1959/63, employers can face severe penalties, including fines of up to RM50,000, imprisonment and caning for offences related to abetting or harbouring illegal immigrants.
