Johor S Foreign Beggars Can Net Rm10 000 Monthly Each Says Immigration Head

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Baharuddin Tahir said an Indonesian man and woman operating stalls at the Iskandar Puteri night market were arrested in the 6.30pm operation. (Bernama pic)JOHOR BAHRU: A joint operation by Johor authorities at the Iskandar Puteri night market yesterday revealed that foreign beggars can net up to RM10,000 a month each, under the pretext of collecting donations to finance tahfiz schools and religious institutions.
The issue came to light following the arrests of three Cambodian and two Thai men by the immigration department, the Johor Bahru social welfare department, and the Johor Islamic religious department yesterday evening.
Johor immigration director Baharuddin Tahir said an Indonesian man and a woman operating stalls at the night market were also arrested in the 6.30pm operation.
“Some of them are disabled. These people can earn up to RM300 a day or RM10,000 a month,” he said in a statement, adding that they were aged between 34 and 63.
Baharuddin said all of them were believed to have contravened Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) by not possessing valid passports or permits to be in Malaysia, and Rule 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating visa conditions.
In another operation, public tip-offs led to the detention of 40 foreigners suspected of working without valid permits and overstaying in Malaysia on Monday and yesterday, said Baharuddin.
“A total of 353 people were checked, out of which 40 were arrested.
“Those detained included nine Nepalese men, five Bangladeshi men, one man and two women from Indonesia, and 15 men and four women from Myanmar.
“Also arrested were two men and a woman from India, and a man from Cambodia. All of them are aged between 21 and 49,” he said.
Baharuddin said they are being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) of Act 155 for not possessing valid passports or permits to be in the country.
They were also found to have contravened Section 15(1)(c) of Act 155 by overstaying, and Rule 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963 for violating visa conditions, he added. - FMT

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