165 Bangladeshis arrested in Malaysia

Malaysian authorities have arrested 165 Bangladeshis, among 506 illegal migrants, in Kuala Lumpur.

The Immigration Department conducted a raid in Medan Imbi on Thursday night and apprehended them for suspected violations under the Immigration Act 1959/63, reports New Straits Times.

Of those arrested, 448 were men, mostly from Bangladesh (165) and Nepal (124). A total of 58 women were also detained, comprising 40 Indonesians and 18 Nepalis.

The raid targeted six residential blocks across four floors around Jalan Barat, Jalan Melati, and Jalan Khoo Teik Ee.

Director General Zakaria Shaaban of the Immigration Department said a total of 185 immigration officers were deployed for the operation.

In Medan Imbi, as many as 895 individuals were screened, including 146 Malaysians.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the majority of those arrested were either without valid identification, had overstayed their visas, violated the conditions of their entry passes, or were in possession of documents not recognised by the Malaysian government, such as a UNHCR card issued by another country.

The operation, which began around 7:30pm, triggered chaos as some migrant workers attempted to flee.

Many abandoned their footwear in the rush, running barefoot through the streets.

Among those who tried to escape were a man from Myanmar and a Nepali man, both of whom were pursued by plainclothes immigration officers.

In their attempt to outrun the officers, the two fell and sustained minor injuries. They were promptly treated by personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department.

Meanwhile, a pregnant Indian national required medical attention after feeling unwell. She was taken to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Within two hours, the surrounding shops and homes had fallen silent, with most residents detained or being screened by immigration officers.

Zakaria said some of the rooms raided were extremely overcrowded.

“In one room, there could be five or six people. If a house has five rooms, that's around 30 people. Some rooms had even been extended to fit more occupants,” he said.

One of the detainees said the RM600 rent for a room in the area was shared by four people.

They were sent to the Bukit Jalil Immigration Depot pending further investigation.

This is not the first time Medan Imbi has come under scrutiny, with a similar raid conducted in February.

"We will continue to monitor this area and other hotspots. Surprise raids will be conducted throughout the year to ensure compliance with immigration laws," Zakaria said.

As many as 22,486 illegal migrants have been detained in drives as of 16 April.