KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — The Immigration Department detained 196 illegal immigrants in a raid on an area dubbed ‘Little Pakistan’ along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah last night.
Kuala Lumpur Immigration director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff said the 9pm to 11.30pm operation involved inspecting 45 business premises along roughly one kilometre of the street, which included restaurants, grocery shops, and hotels.
“A total of 400 individuals were screened, resulting in the detention of 196 illegal immigrants, comprising 184 men and 12 women. They are 150 Pakistanis, six Indonesians, 21 Bangladeshis, 10 Indians, two Jordanians, four Nepalese, two Filipinos and one Sri Lankan, aged between 12 and 60,” he told the press after the operation.
Saupee added that the illegal immigrants were detained under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) for not having valid travel documents and overstaying in the country.
“Most of them were employed at restaurants around the hotspot offering various Pakistani dishes, and checks found some had violated immigration regulations,” he said.
Three local employers suspected of hiring them were also detained and are being investigated under Section 56(1)(d) and Section 55B of Act 155.
During the operation, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall seized 52 tables and 204 chairs for obstructing public areas, while the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry issued five compounds totalling RM5,500 for offences related to price labelling and the use of weighing instruments.
“In addition, the Companies Commission of Malaysia issued seven compounds for offences involving business signboards and company registration,” Saupee said.
