PUTRAJAYA: A total of 5,173 people have been detained by the Immigration Department under Ops Mega, which has been carried out since July 1 to track down employers and illegal immigrants who failed to register for the E- Card.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said that from July 1 to 7am on Tuesday, the Department had conducted 1,272 enforcement operations nationwide.
"A total of 17,955 people were checked and the result is that 5,065 illegals from various countries were nabbed for various immigration offences.
"In addition, 108 employers were also arrested and 367 were given notice to give their statements," he said in a statement.
Of the total nabbed, Bangladeshis constituted the highest number at 1,520, followed by Indonesians (1,476), Myanmar (429), Vietnamese (285), Thais (206), Filipinos (261) and the rest are from other countries, he said.
Mustafar said the Department has taken proactive steps by holding meetings and discussions with the embassies of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal and more.
"The initiatives were taken to clarify the efforts undertaken, as well as the steps that employers and employees have to take after the expiry of the E-card registration period.
"This also includes the issuance of travel documents by the embassy concerned and the completion of the rehiring process," he said.
Employers who failed to register their migrant workers are urged to have them deported via the Voluntary Deportation Programme (3+1 Programme) to avoid legal action, including prosecution.
Mustafar added that from Jan to July 25 this year, 125,061 illegals returned to their home country through the 3+1 Programme. -- BERNAMA