Enter legally; stay illegally

Enter legally; stay illegally Published on: Friday, May 15, 2009  Email to a friend      Printer Friendly Kota Kinabalu: The State is no longer facing a problem of foreigners sneaking in illegally but one where they enter through proper channels but overstay and become illegal immigrants. Sabah Special Federal Task Force Director, Misri Barham, said currently there were altogether 3,727 inmates undergoing time and awaiting deportation at the four existing detention centres. Most were in the Menggatal detention centre with 1,681 (1,435 Filipinos, 224 Indonesians and 22 others), followed by Tawau with 1,156 (963 Filipinos, 179 Indonesians and 14 others), Sandakan with 559 (471 Filipinos, 123 Indonesians and 5 others) and the Kota Belud centre with 331 (253 Filipinos, 35 Indonesians and 1 others). Misri also disclosed that between January and May 13, this year they had sent another 3,747 illegal immigrants back to their respective country of origin. Of this most were Filipinos (2,688), while 943 Indonesians and 116 others (including India, Pakistan, China, etc). Meanwhile, the capacity of the temporary detention centres will increase to 12,000 inmates at any one time with the construction of two new ones at Sungai Sibuga in Sandakan and Papar, as well as expansion of the existing centre in Tawau. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the expansion of the centre in Tawau, involving building of new blocks, was ready while construction of the centres in Sandakan and Papar would be ready by end of the month. The other existing temporary detention centres in Sabah are in Batu Dua Sandakan, Menggatal in Kota Kinabalu and Paradise Camp in Kota Belud. He told reporters this after he chaired the State Security Committee's second meeting for the year at Wisma Innoprise. Musa said the Ops Bersepadu Phase Two currently ongoing in Sandakan, Beluran, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Kinabatangan, Sugut and Tawau - in the East Coast had rounded up 9,988 suspected illegal immigrants. This figure is up to the 10 series (January to May 15) out of the altogether 30 series of operations planned under the Ops Bersepadu until December this year. Of the figure, some 1,217 were detained for deportation after the second level of screening held the temporary holding centres. The rest were released after they produced valid documents. The next series of the Ops Bersepadu operations would concentrate on the plantation areas, he said.