KUALA LUMPUR: An integrated operation against undocumented migrants in Jalan Silang here yesterday has earned plaudits from traders, with some calling for more sweeps to keep the area clean and safe.
A local beverage and food seller, Anuar Shari, 69, who has been doing business on the street for more than 10 years, praised the surprise operation to check undocumented foreigners and called for more frequent raids.
"I see foreigners, especially the Rohingya, taking over this place like their own village. They show absolute disregard for the local community.
"Due to their large numbers, they have become uncouth. They tend to spit all over the place without care for cleanliness and often cause problems," he told Bernama today.
Clothes merchant Amir Ahmad, 58, said the wave of foreigners in the area started to build up in 2015, and the road has been nicknamed 'Mini Dhaka' because of the concentration of Bangladeshis there.
He said most foreigners trade in food, clothes and jewellery in the area and some establish a foothold by renting shops and living in unhygienic quarters.
"Besides operations by enforcement agencies, as a shop owner who is a local citizen, I need to also play a role by not renting out premises here to foreigners.
"If local traders don't rent out their shops to foreigners, I'm sure there won't be many foreigners in Jalan Silang after this and locals will flock back," said Amir, who has been trading here for 18 years.
A Bernama survey at the location found that the row of shops along Jalan Silang open as early as 9am, with mostly foreigners doing business while the number of local traders can be counted by the fingers.
Yesterday, 1,101 foreigners were arrested for various offences during the integrated operation from 11am to 3pm involving 1,138 personnel from the General Operations Force, Federal Reserve Unit, Royal Malaysian Customs, Immigration Department and Kuala Lumpur City Hall.– BERNAMA