Malaysian immigration officers arrested 150 foreigners in two Kuala Lumpur raids, with detainees attempting to flee by roof and water tank.
KUALA LUMPUR: Immigration enforcement operations in the capital early this morning resulted in 150 arrests as foreign nationals employed desperate measures to evade capture.
During Ops Kutip, individuals attempted to escape by throwing a machete from an upper floor, climbing onto a roof, and hiding inside a water tank.
The raids targeted an apartment block in Selayang and an illegal settlement along Jalan Klang Lama.
Malaysian Immigration Department deputy director-general (Operations) Datuk Lokman Effendi Ramli said the Selayang operation followed two weeks of intelligence gathering.
“A total of 326 individuals were screened and 79 foreigners were detained for suspected immigration offences,” he said at a press conference.
The 79 detainees in Selayang were nationals of Indonesia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Myanmar, aged between 17 and 55.
They worked as security guards, food stall assistants, laundry workers, convenience store attendants, and construction labourers.
Lokman Effendi noted inspections revealed overcrowded conditions, with five to six occupants in a typical three-room unit rented for roughly RM600.
He said this raised concerns over poor sanitation, foul odours, and wider health and social risks.
The second raid at the illegal settlement along Jalan Klang Lama detained 71 foreigners after a week of intelligence work.
Those arrested included 66 Indonesians, three Myanmar nationals, one Indian national, and one Pakistani national.
A Bernama observation found the settlement had basic amenities but occupants rented space informally without knowing the true landlord.
The site also lacked a legal electricity supply, relying on unauthorised connections from nearby sources.
Lokman Effendi stressed that immigration enforcement in the capital will be comprehensive and uncompromising.
“Enforcement will be applied to both illegal immigrants and the employers who hire them,” he said.
All detainees are suspected of offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for lacking a valid pass or permit and for overstaying.
Also present was the Malaysian Immigration Department for the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur director, Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff.
