Latest news with #MohdRidzzuanMohdZain
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
64 foreign workers detained in Kulim factory raids
KULIM: Sixty-four foreign workers were detained in separate raids at two factories in Padang Serai. The operation was conducted by the Kedah Immigration Department with support from other agencies. Kedah Immigration director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain said the six-hour operation began at 11 am. The first raid targeted a battery factory, where 34 workers were arrested for immigration violations. Those detained included 16 Bangladeshi men, 15 Chinese men, an Indonesian man, an Indian man, and a Myanmar woman. The workers, aged between 24 and 39, breached immigration regulations under multiple sections of the law. A second raid at a plastic processing factory led to the arrest of 30 more foreign workers. The group comprised 12 Bangladeshi men, 17 Myanmar nationals, and one Chinese man. Several workers attempted to flee but were unsuccessful as officers had secured the area. Mohd Ridzzuan warned that such operations would continue to curb illegal employment. He urged employers to comply with immigration laws to avoid legal action. - Bernama
Barnama
2 days ago
- Barnama
64 Foreign Workers Detained In Kulim
KULIM, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Sixty-four foreign workers were arrested by the Immigration Department in separate raids at two factories in Padang Serai, near here, yesterday. Kedah Immigration director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain said the foreigners were arrested in a six-hour operation which started and 11 am and also involved the Manpower Department, the National Registration Department and the Department of Environment. 'The first raid was conducted at a battery factory where 210 workers of various nationalities were checked, and of that number, 34 people consisting of 16 Bangladeshi men, 15 Chinese men, an Indonesian man, an Indian man and a Myanmar woman were arrested.
New Straits Times
28-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Kedah immigration detains 29 immigrants in raid, employers under probe for document negligence
SUNGAI PETANI: Twenty-nine undocumented migrants, including two children, were detained during a targeted operation by the Immigration Department across five locations here today. Among those detained in the raids were workers at a plywood processing factory in Bedong, where officers nabbed 20 foreigners, including two Indonesian toddlers aged between 12 months and 3 years. Initial investigations found that several of the detainees did not possess valid passports or travel documents. Others had overstayed their visas, with some claiming that their employers had failed to renew their documents or provide any guidance on the renewal process. One 25-year-old Indonesian woman, who was arrested alongside her 30-year-old husband, said they had been living in Malaysia since 2022 with expired passports. "Our documents have not been valid for over two years. We've been hiding here, unable to leave the premises. I haven't dared to go out. I would ask others to buy essentials for me," she said when met. Their 3-year-old daughter, born in Malaysia, has no legal documentation, while their 10-year-old child remains in Indonesia. Another woman from Indonesia, said her husband had entered the country illegally via Bukit Kayu Hitam through a syndicate. They have been staying in Malaysia for over two years with their 1-year-old child. "My husband entered with his brother, but his brother has since passed away. Our documents are no longer valid," she claimed. Kedah Immigration director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain confirmed that 29 undocumented migrants were detained in the series of raids, and five employers have been called in to assist in investigations. Those detained include 14 Myanmar men, five Bangladeshi men, three Indonesian men, three Myanmar women and two Indonesian women, and two Indonesian children. "All of the adult immigrants detained are aged are in their 20s and 40s. "They were detained under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, as well as Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963," he said. He added that the employers could face action under Section 56(1)(d) for harbouring undocumented migrants, Section 55E for allowing such individuals on their premises, and Section 55B for employing foreigners without valid permits. "Employer negligence in regularising the status of their foreign workers will not be tolerated. We will now adopt a stricter approach against employers who fail to take responsibility for their workers' legal status," said Ridzzuan.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- The Sun
Immigration Department shifts focus to negligent employers
ALOR SETAR: Employers' negligence and disregard for regulations set by the Immigration Department of Malaysia's (JIM) have led to the mismanagement of foreign workers in their employment, says Kedah Immigration director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain. He said this was evident from the arrest of 64 undocumented foreign nationals in two separate raids under Ops Gempur at construction sites in Changlun and Kuala Kedah today. In the raids carried out at around 10.30 am, 72 foreign nationals were checked. Of these, 64 individuals from Myanmar, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, aged between 18 and 40, were detained for various offences. 'Based on today's arrests, 87 per cent of those detained had committed various offences under Section 6(1)(c) (no valid pass), Section 15(1)(c) (overstaying) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, and Regulation 39B (misuse of passes) of the Immigration Regulations 1963,' he told reporters here today. He said the initial analysis indicated that many employers were negligent in managing foreign workers. 'During operations, immigration teams enter offices to inspect workers' documents. We often find that employers lack the knowledge needed to make necessary applications related to foreign workers under the law. 'Furthermore, HR departments of these firms are also found to be incompetent. During some checks, we discovered that the names of on-site workers did not match those registered by the company. This can lead to serious consequences for employers, including fines and penalties,' he said. Mohd Ridzzuan said the JIM had previously concentrated on detaining and punishing foreign nationals, but this approach proved ineffective. The emphasis has now shifted to taking action against employers.
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Kedah Immigration Dept rounds up 64 illegal foreign workers
Zuliaty Zulkiffli ALOR STAR: The Kedah Immigration Department detained 64 illegal foreign workers, including two women, during a raid at two construction sites in Changlun and Kuala Kedah under Op Targeted Crackdown today. Its director, Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain, said the detained foreign workers committed various offences, including abusing work permits, overstaying their visas and lacking identification documents. He said in the first raid in Changlun, the department inspected 25 foreign workers from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Indonesia and arrested 22 of them. "In the raid at the construction site in Kuala Kedah, we detained 39 foreign workers, including two women." Ridzzuan reminded employers using foreign workers to seek approval from the department before transferring them to other states. He said this was necessary to prevent foreign workers from being detained during inspections. "In past operations, some foreign workers had passports, but were found to be misusing their work permits. "If a worker was employed in one sector and moved to another state to work in a different sector, that individual has committed an offence and can be detained for the misuse of work permit. "Many employers have been found to be negligent, risking action under Section 55E of the Immigration Act 1959/63." He said the detained migrants were taken to the Kedah Immigration office in Anak Bukit for documentation.
