ALOR SETAR: The Kedah Immigration Department detained 122 foreign nationals during Operasi Mahir at a company in the Padang Meha Industrial Area near Padang Serai.
Director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain stated that the operation involved the department’s enforcement division and followed surveillance and public complaints.
“The operation team checked 214 individuals, including locals,” he said in a statement today.
A total of 122 individuals comprising 121 men and one woman of various nationalities aged between 22 and 56 years were detained.
All detainees were taken to the Belantik Immigration Depot for investigation and further procedural action.
Initial investigations revealed that only a small number of passports belonging to the detained foreign nationals were present.
The remaining passports have yet to be produced by their company’s management.
Security stamps on most passports raised doubts about their authenticity and require further checks through the JIM system.
The operation team also detected the absence of the Letter of Agreement between the construction company and the worker supply company.
Further checks on the Temporary Work Visit Pass Permit found it valid only for companies registered in Kuala Lumpur and approved by JIM.
The company failed to keep any employee documentation at the human resources office for verification purposes.
Mohd Ridzzuan added that passport holder travel records need examination through the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card system.
Existing records only display exit and entry stamps without destination details.
His team will continue a thorough investigation including passport authenticity, travel records, and employer-employee relationships.
“We will not compromise on any party found to be employing or protecting illegal immigrants,” he added.
Entrepreneurs and employers must ensure foreign workers have valid documents and passes complying with set conditions. – Bernama
