KOTA KINABALU: A total of 750 Filipino illegal immigrants detained since 2020 were deported to their home country on Tuesday (Sept 6).
Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud said in a statement on Wednesday (Sept 7) that this deportation exercise was made possible through the cooperation of the Philippine Embassy.
He said those deported, the oldest of whom was 88 years old, comprised 638 men, 81 women, 30 children under age 12 and a toddler under the age of two.
“These detainees were picked up from the various detention centres in Tawau, Sandakan, Papar and Kota Kinabalu,” he said.
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“Previously, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we had trouble deporting detainees as authorities from their countries of origin used the pandemic and health hazards and threats as reasons to delay the process,” Khairul Dzaimee said.
For the record, he noted, the Sabah Immigration Department had deported a total of 1,519 illegal immigrants through land, sea and air routes this year alone.
He said a total of 67 deportation processes were recorded with 332 sent back via air routes, 1,186 via sea and one by land.
Khairul said all immigration detainees placed in detention centres starting from 2020 have been vaccinated and given at least one booster shot each.
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He said as per standard operating procedures, the detainees would first be given health screenings, including for Covid-19, and isolated for a period before being allowed into the detention centres.
This was to prevent illness and contagious diseases from spreading in detention centres, he added.
Khairul said these migrants had been convicted of various immigration offences and had served their time according to the law.
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“All security agencies in Sabah and throughout the country will continue ensuring that all who come to Sabah abide by Immigration and other laws,” he said.
“Please make sure that you have proper travel documents and get the necessary permits for work and other purposes in this country,” he said.
Khairul thanked the various agencies including the state government, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, the police, Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), maritime forces, and the Customs Department for their support and assistance throughout the deportation process.