Review existing laws to curb illegals in Bintulu

BINTULU: Party Progressive Democratic Sarawak (SPDP) wants existing laws to curb illegal immigrants be reviewed and stiffer punishment imposed as a deterrent measure.

SPDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said, for example the influx of illegals in Bintulu was increasingly worrying following a rise in cases of house-breaking, robbery and prostitution.

"Illegals that are caught should be banned from re-entering Sarawak. At present light sentences are meted out on these illegals, who will be smuggled back into Sarawak after serving their sentences and deported back to their respective countries," he said after meeting with acting Bintulu Immigration chief Wong Yan Qing here today.

Tiong, who is also Bintulu Member of Parliament, said the suggestion to review the laws would be brought up at the forthcoming Parliamentary sitting aimed at enacting new laws or amending existing ones.

On his visit to the Bintulu Immigration Department, he said there was a need for the Bintulu Immigration Department to jointly intensify its enforcement with the police, Rela and Bintulu Development Board (BDA).
He suggested that the department's manpower in Bintulu be increased because it only had 13 enforcement officers at present which posed a challenge during operations at the plantations that had over 1,000 workers.

"Businessmen should not rely on foreign workers but give priority to locals to avoid the influx of illegals to Bintulu," he said. – Bernama