25 FOREIGNERS NABBED IN OPERATION TARGETING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Sibu, August 28 - Twenty-five foreigners, comprising 19 women and six men, were picked up Saturday night during a late night operation by police at a pub here.

Of the total, 18 women were found to be working here using their social passes while the remaining seven individuals had valid work permits, but which were kept by their employers.

District police chief ACP Saiful Bahri Abdullah confirmed the weekend raid, saying the routine operation was to check for the presence of illegal immigrants and also to ensure social peace.

He advised foreigners keen on working here to apply for work permits.

“A social pass does not entitle a visitor to work. They have to apply for work permits."

He said for those who claimed their work permits had been kept by their employers, the police would only be able to release them once their employers showed up and produced the said document.

“Foreign workers whose work permits are kept by their employers should at least keep a photocopy.”

Saiful Bahri added that those found working without a valid permit would be handed over to the Immigration Department for further action. - BORNEO POST ONLINE