By Aida Aziz
Photo: JIM Perak
IPOH: A total of 30 foreigners were arrested in a raid on two entertainment centers in Ipoh city by the Perak State Immigration Department (JIM) on Wednesday night.
According to its Director, Meor Hezbullah Meor Abd Malik, the operation was carried out at entertainment centers near Jalan Foo Yet Kai and Jalan Lau Ek Ching by the Complaint, Intelligence, and Operations Unit of JIM Perak’s Enforcement Division.
He said 69 individuals, including Malaysians and foreign nationals, were inspected while they were enjoying their time at the venues.
“A total of 25 Immigration officers were involved in the operation at the two entertainment centers.
“As a result of the inspection, 30 foreigners were arrested for reasonable grounds of violating the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) and the Immigration Regulations 1963. The arrested foreigners consisted of three men and 27 women, aged between 20 and 48 years,” he said in a statement here today.
He added that the detainees included (1) Thai man and (4) Thai women, (3) Indonesian women, (19) Vietnamese women, (2) Myanmar men, and (1) Cambodian woman.
As a result, all 30 foreign nationals were detained at the Ipoh Immigration Depot under Section 51(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for investigation under Section 6(1)(c) of the same Act, which deals with entering and staying in Malaysia without a valid permit, and Section 15(1)(c) of the same Act, which involves overstaying after the permit’s validity expires.
The violations also include infractions under Regulation 39(b), Immigration Regulations 1963, for breaching the conditions of their visas.
Meor Hezbullah also mentioned that customers and witnesses at the scene are being asked to report to the Perak Immigration office to assist in investigations under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Additionally, investigations into the premises owners and employers responsible for hiring foreign workers will continue under Section 55(B) or Section 55(E) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
