By DayakDaily Team
LUNDU, June 20: The Malaysian Armed Forces (TDM) have thwarted 12 attempts to enter Sarawak illegally and expelled 71 illegal immigrants so far this year.
Malaysian Armed Forces First Division Infantry Commander, Major General Datuk Mohamed Fauzi Kamis, stated that this includes intercepting nine illegal immigrants who attempted to enter Sarawak for work via “lorong tikus” (illegal route) near the Malaysia-Indonesia Joint Post (GABMA) in Biawak yesterday (June 19).
According to a press statement, a team from the Malaysia Army 1st Infantry Division and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) were on patrol around the post, about 120 metres from the Indonesian border at about 2.10pm when they encountered the nine foreigners walking towards the border.
The patrol team stopped and inspected the foreigners, aged between 20 and 49, and found no prohibited or dangerous items.
The estimated total value of the items inspected, which included cash, mobile phones, wallets and luggages, was RM8,680.
All nine illegal immigrants were brought to the border for expulsion, and a police report was made at Lundu Police Station to ensure that the process was conducted lawfully.
“TDM is committed to tighten controls at the Malaysia-Indonesia border to ensure that the country’s sovereignty is protected from any form of illegal immigrant invasion, smuggling activities or cross-border crime,” Mohamed Fauzi affirmed, while congratulating the division for carrying out their duties diligently. — DayakDaily
