Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing
KUCHING (June 16): A solution needs to be found to address the issue of illegal immigrants (Pati) entering Sarawak, many of whom were repeat offenders, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing.
He expressed his concern that there were still illegal immigrants entering the state despite the marked increase in the number of roadblock operations conducted statewide.
“We need to find a solution to further curb this issue of Pati entering Sarawak and what we are more concerned about is the report that a proportion of these Pati are repeat offenders. We catch them and we send them back but they seem to keep coming back.
“It is like a cat and mouse game that these irresponsible culprits are playing with us. Quite akin to the ‘catch me if you can’ syndrome,” he said when chairing the Security Control Committee meeting here today.
Masing said the illegal immigrants are able to enter Sarawak through the numerous illegal trails (‘jalan tikus’) along the state’s border.
“Until and unless we can guard our ‘jalan tikus’ or seal them completely, repeat offenders will continue to cross our borders,” he stressed.
The Infrastructure and Port Development Minister pointed out that many of these repeat offenders hail from Kalimantan, Indonesia.
“Some come from as far as Java or Lombok and sending them back to Kalimantan is not a solution as they do not have anywhere to stay there.
“So they keep coming back by crossing the border through the ‘jalan tikus’ again and again,” he said.
He said in view of this, the extension of border post operations will continue until the end of this year to control and curb the movement of illegal immigrants into Sarawak.
As such, he reported that the extension of Border Post operations shall continue until the end of 2021 to control and curb the moving in of Pati into Sarawak.
During the meeting, comprehensive briefings and updates were given by relevant enforcement agencies including the General Operations Force (PGA), Armed Forces (ATM), police, Sarawak Immigration Department, Sarawak Health Department as well as Residents from all divisions in the state.
State Immigration director Datu Ken Leben reported that 292 operations have been conducted by his department including 29 which were in collaboration with other authorities from January to June 15 this year.
He said from these operations, 1,169 illegal immigrants were detained for various offences including illegal entry and overstaying.
He also said that nine employers and eight ‘tekongs’ (human trafficking agents) were also charged this year.