Predawn raids mark crackdown on illegals<\/p>\n
Agencies, Kuala Lumpur\/Nunukan<\/p>\n
Malaysian police raided workplaces in darkness early on Tuesday
\nin a nationwide crackdown on illegal workers, arresting at least
\n130 people, including 62 known to be Indonesians, shortly after a
\nfour-month-old amnesty ended at midnight.<\/p>\n
In one of the earliest raids, about 450 government volunteers
\nand immigration officials, some armed with pistols and others
\nwith night sticks, cordoned off a construction site in Ceras,
\nsouth of Kuala Lumpur, and detained 243 foreigners, including 62
\nIndonesians.<\/p>\n
Some of the illegal immigrants fled into surrounding forests
\nunder cover of darkness in an attempt to escape the dragnet but
\nlater surrendered to the officials.<\/p>\n
Sixty-two Indonesians, including 27 from tsunami-hit Aceh
\nprovince, were being held at Semenyih detention center south of
\nKuala Lumpur, Mohamad Amirudin Mohamad Yusof, director of the
\n300,000-strong civilian security force who led the raid, said.<\/p>\n
"It has been a successful operation. No one was injured. We
\nwill conduct more raids," he said as quoted by AP.<\/p>\n
One worker at the construction site, 35-year-old Amin, was
\nnabbed after a futile bid to outrun his captors. He said he was
\nforced to skip the amnesty offer because "I have no money and
\nthere is no future for me in Indonesia."<\/p>\n
In East Kalimantan, some 200 of 2,000 illegal immigrants who
\nfled raids to Indonesia were stranded on Tuesday in the border
\ntown of Nunukan.<\/p>\n
"We were worried about being arrested and caned by Malaysian
\nauthorities. So, we ran away from our workplace after our
\nemployers refused to arrange the renewal of our immigration
\ndocuments," said Ilham, one of the stranded migrants who worked
\nfor a plantation firm in Sabah, Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Most of the stranded workers were from West Nusa Tenggara and
\nSouth Sulawesi provinces.<\/p>\n
Ilham said he and other workers did not know the name of the
\nplantation company that employed them in Sabah.<\/p>\n
"Since we worked there three years ago, we haven't seen any
\ndocuments, including immigration papers, arranged for them," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Malaysia offered illegal workers a chance to return home
\nwithout facing any penalties in an amnesty that started in
\nOctober and expired on Monday. Some 400,000 illegal workers
\ndeparted, but Malaysian officials say about half a million
\nremain.<\/p>\n
Foreign workers from Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh and
\nIndia form the backbone of Malaysia's menial workforce,
\nsustaining the construction industry and plantations. They also
\nwork in restaurants and do other low-paid jobs that Malaysians
\nwon't do. Besides illegal workers, some 1 million other
\nforeigners are working here legally.<\/p>\n
Human rights groups have expressed concern about the massive
\ncrackdown, which they say is open to abuse.<\/p>\n
"There is a high potential for human abuses to occur
\nconsidering the magnitude of the operation," National Human
\nRights Society secretary general Elizabeth Wong was quoted by AFP
\nas saying on Monday.<\/p>\n
Amnesty International earlier this month urged Malaysia to
\nhalt the planned deportation of illegals amid fears some could
\nface execution or torture in their home countries.<\/p>\n
Malaysians blame rising urban crime on foreign workers,
\nespecially the illegal ones who are often dumped without notice
\nby their employers.<\/p>\n
Mahadi Arshad, director-general of a government volunteer
\nagency deployed in the crackdown, said about 300,000 officials
\nare involved in the operation, including those tasked with
\ncollecting information on the whereabouts of the illegal
\nmigrants.<\/p>\n
"We are targeting all sectors -- construction sites,
\nplantations and restaurants," Mahadi said.<\/p>\n
Thousands of Indonesians voluntarily surrender themselves for
\ndeportation each year ahead of the Muslim holiday of Idul Fitri.
\nGiven a free passage home, they enjoy a break with their families
\nbefore sneaking back across the border to resume work.<\/p>",
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