Indonesians Detained Over Expired Passes
By Lyna Mohamad

Bandar Seri Begawan - Twenty-six immigration enforcement officers headed by the Senior Chief Immigration Officer carried out another series of raids to flush out illegal immigrants.

From Kg Kupang, Tutong to Mukim Kilanas, Sengkurong down to Kiarong and finally to Kota Batu, the raiding party rounded up 13 foreigners who failed to produce documents to prove the legality of their presence in the country.

During Ops Basmi 58, conducted yesterday just after midnight, a 28-yearold Indonesian man tried to evade capture by escaping through a hole meant to be fitted with an air-con and ran into a jungle behind a rented house in Mulaut.

His bold attempt failed when the raiding team gave chase and found him lying in a bush. The suspect was found to have been overstaying in the country since his visit pass expired on July 14, 2003.

His fellow countryman, a 41-year-old was also detained in the same area for overstaying in the country after his social visit pass pending a work pass expired August 6 last year.

Meanwhile, the only foreign woman - rounded up in the raid, a 29-year-old Indonesian national, whose social visit pass expired on November 15, 2004 was detained at a rented room in Kota Batu.

Another Indonesian man who was initially detained on suspicion of having an expired work pass, was found after further screening to be a runaway worker whose previous employer made a missing person report last April 7 this year.

The Indonesian man, aged 23, claimed to have been paying his previous employer $50 a month but had stopped the payments a couple of months ago, which allegedly prompted the employer to report him missing.

Four out of the 13 suspects were later released after their respective employer produced their relevant documents, while five were remanded in the Bandar Police Station for further questioning and screening today.

In its bid to catch more immigration violators, the enforcement unit will increase its raids and routine inspections to ensure that these violators are punished.

As usual, members of the public are welcome to extend their cooperation by reporting any suspicious immigration activities by calling the department's hotlines at 2383555 or 2383777. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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