The Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) Sabah has repatriated 166 undocumented migrants (PTI) from the Philippines to their home country under the Foreign Detainee Repatriation Programme carried out via the Lahad Datu Port yesterday.
Sabah JIM director Datuk Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof said all detainees were transported by commercial ferry from Lahad Datu Port to Bongao Port in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines.
She said the group comprised 143 adult men, six adult women, nine boys and eight girls aged between four months and 66 years.
In general terms, such repatriation programmes are part of ongoing enforcement efforts to manage undocumented migrant issues in a more structured and orderly manner.
“The children involved in this programme were accompanied by their parents or guardians,” she said, adding that all detainees had completed sentences under the law and possessed valid travel documents allowing them to be repatriated.
The detainees were previously held at the Kota Kinabalu Immigration Depot and Sandakan Immigration Depot before being sent home.
In a related development, Sitti Saleha said JIM Sabah also conducted an air repatriation exercise on June 16 involving Filipino and Chinese nationals.
A total of 11 Filipinos were flown back to Manila from Kota Kinabalu International Airport, while nine Chinese nationals were deported to Guangzhou via Tawau Airport.
She said that to date, 2,428 Filipino detainees and 70 Chinese nationals out of a total of 3,625 foreign detainees have been successfully repatriated to their respective countries.
The operation reflects JIM Sabah’s continued commitment to strengthening immigration enforcement and ensuring strict action against those without valid documentation.
She added that employers found harbouring undocumented migrants may face firm action under the Immigration Act 1959/63, including fines, imprisonment, and caning.
