Crackdown On Illegal Workers Continues
By Za'im Zaini

Bandar Seri Begawan - A total of 16 foreign nationals were detained on Friday night in the latest series of operations conducted by the Law Enforcement Section, Department of Immigration and National Registration.

The operation, codenamed "Ops Berkas 114", was conducted over a period of five hours from 9.30pm till 12.30am and involved 16 personnel led by a senior chief immigration officer.

The targeted areas of the operation were rented houses and rented rooms of foreign workers in Kg Lumapas, Kg Pengkalan Batu, Kg Kulapis, Perpindahan Berakas and Kg Lambak Berakas. Enforcement personnel also patrolled areas in Gadong and along Jalan Tutong. Out of the 16 that were detained, 11 foreign nationals comprising five Bangladeshi men and six Indonesians were held at the BSB Police Station.

A 32-year-old Bangladeshi man, who had no documents on him, was caught as he was sleeping in a mosque at Kg Lambak while an Indonesian man whose working pass as a mosque worker is still valid was sleeping outside a small room.

According to reports, the Bangladeshi man had been staying at the mosque for a long time. He slept at the mosque every night while during the day he was engaged in construction work outside.

According to the Indonesian man, who has worked at the mosque for two months, the Bangladeshi man had been there even before he started work. The Bangladeshi was taken to the BSB Police Station. According to him, his immigration pass had expired, which was confirmed by the department's data that showed his pass had expired on April 15, 2004. The matter is still under investigation.

A 36-year-o Id man and a 42-year-old Bangladeshi with no documents on them, were caught at a house in Kg Burong Pinggai in Berakas. They were taken to the BSB Police Station for further action.

Another 40-year-old Bangladeshi man was also caught at the same place with an immigration pass that had expired 12 days ago. He was issued a compound fine of $100 and paid the fine in full.

Another Bangladeshi man, aged 48, who had no documents on him, was caught during an inspection at a tailoring shop in Kg Pangkalan Batu. He was taken to the BSB Police Station where investigations revealed that his immigration pass had expired 44 days ago and he had run away from his employer. He was issued a compound fine of $300.

Meanwhile, the other six detained were released after their employers were contacted and their immigration passes were found to be valid.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Click Here To Have Your Say On This Story

Brudirect.com News

Brunei's Fastest Growing Website with