The Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department apprehended 176 illegal immigrants during an operation on the night of January 22, targeting areas around Jalan Alor and Bukit Bintang.

City Immigration Department Director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff stated that the operation, which began at 7:15 PM, was conducted in cooperation with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), following public complaints about the presence of illegal immigrants in the area.

Among the arrested individuals, 71 were from Bangladesh, highlighting the significant number of Bangladeshis living illegally in Malaysia, a country that has long been a popular destination for migrant workers from Bangladesh. Over the years, Malaysia has seen a growing population of undocumented Bangladeshi workers, many of whom initially entered with work visas but overstayed or entered without proper documentation. Other arrested individuals included 60 from Myanmar, 24 from Indonesia, 16 from Nepal, and smaller groups from Pakistan, Egypt, and Sudan.

The arrests were made under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which address offenses related to lacking valid documents and overstaying in the country. Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 was also invoked.

All detainees were taken to the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Headquarters for documentation and further investigation. The operation involved 61 immigration officers, 30 DBKL personnel, and was a part of ongoing efforts to curb the growing issue of illegal immigration in Malaysia.

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