KANGAR: A People's Volunteer Corp (Rela) member was arrested for allegedly transporting six Myanmar illegal immigrants in Mata Ayer, Padang Besar, yesterday.

State Anti-Smuggling Unit (UPP) enforcers nabbed the 36-year-old Rela member, who is based in Mata Ayer, after giving chase after his Mitsubishi Galant car, used to transport the Myanmar men.

Perlis UPP acting commander Assistant Superintendent Noor Janihan Nanyan said the Rela member had confessed to transporting illegal immigrants three times before.

In the 2am incident, the raiding team saw the Mitsubishi Galant and another car coming out of a sugarcane plantation in Panggas, Chuping, near the Malaysian-Thai border.

The two cars later went in different directions.
"The team followed the Mitsubishi Galant, which steadily gained speed.

"A chase ensued for about 3km before the car skidded and stopped by the roadside."

The six illegal immigrants, aged 17 to 44, were on their way to Butterworth, Penang. Once there, another accomplice was to make their work arrangements.

Initial investigations revealed that each Myanmar had forked out RM1,000 to get into the country.

It is believed that the Rela member is one of a few people in the chain of human trafficking between Myanmar and Malaysia. He, however, had no previous criminal record.

He would be investigated for allowing illegal immigrants into the country and transporting them in his vehicle. If convicted, he could be fined between RM5,000 and RM100,000, and jailed up to 12 months.

One of the illegal immigrants, a 23-year-old graduate, said he had heard of the "rich earnings" to be found in Malaysia.

"I have a friend who works in Malaysia. I heard the money here is good, so I decided to come here, too."