KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department has detained 69 illegal immigrants, including a two-year-old boy, in a raid on a squatter settlement at Kampung Pantai Dalam this morning (Dec 2).
The department's deputy director-general (operations) Jafri Embok Taha said the detainees comprised 45 males, 23 females and a child.
All of them were Indonesian nationals.
"Those detained were found to have violated regulations under Section 6(1)(c) of Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering and staying in the country without a valid pass and Section 15(1)(c) for overstaying, as well as other offences under the act, the Passport Act 1966 and the Immigration Regulations 1963.
"All of the detainees will be placed at the Bukit Jalil Immigration Detention Depot for follow-up actions," he told a press conference held at the location.
During the 1.30am raid, a summon was also issued to a local man under Section 55E of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for protecting an illegal immigrant.
The local man claimed one of the detainees, who was found in his house, to be his relative.
Jafri said the raid was conducted after a week-long surveillance following information from the public regarding the presence of illegal immigrants in the area.
Meanwhile, the two-year-old boy was detained together with his mother, who had overstayed in the country for five years.
The 26-year-old woman said she entered the country in 2018 using a social visit pass to work.
"By right, I can only stay here (in Malaysia) for a while using the social visit pass. However, my main purpose was to work here.
"While working as a cleaner, I met my husband who is also an Indonesian working as a construction worker.
"We got married with my late father, who has permanent residency (the red IC), as the wali (legal guardian of the bride)," said the woman, who hails from Madura, Indonesia.
She added her son did not have any documentation other than a letter issued by a private clinic where he was born.
She also claimed that during her 'stay' here, she never got caught by the authorities.
"I have plans to go back (to Indonesia), but no chance so far.
"At first I just wanted to work here because I want to support my family back in Indonesia. But then, I found my husband and we got married," she said, adding that her family is currently renting a room at the settlement for RM400 a month.