New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, 19 January 2007
17 Indons given maximum sentence for entering country illegally
By Jaspal Singh
Seventeen Indonesians were given the maximum six strokes of the rotan each by the magistrate’s court today for entering the country without valid documents. They were also each sentenced to two weeks in jail after pleading guilty to the offence.
Edi, 28, Damik, 27, Yong, 34, Idol, 23, Yang, 20, Marse, 25, Rauz @ Franz, 20, Perdi, 25, Sius, 20, Tius, 26, Doni, 26, Makse, 21, Martinus, 25, Hila, 28, Fitor, 26, Natan Sifa, 28, and Martinuz @ Marcy, 28, were arrested last Nov 28 during Ops Tegas in the Kampar, Sungai Siput and Perak Tengah districts.
Magistrate Mohd Mazran Mohd Mazlan said the punishment would serve as a reminder to them not to treat the laws of this country lightly.
"I cannot understand why you have to give RM1,500 to RM3,000 to boat skippers to bring you to the shores of this country illegally when there are legal ways of coming here," he said.
"You could have used the same money to pay authorised agencies to bring you here with proper documents. At least you would not be caught for being here illegally even if you were unable to earn enough to send back home," he said, agreeing with Immigration Department prosecuting officer Khairul Anuar's submission that entering the country without valid documents is a serious offence.
Earlier this week, the special Sessions Court at the Langkap Detention Depot, near here, became the first in the country to impose the maximum six strokes of the rotan on seven Indonesians who entered the country illegally.
© Copyright 2007 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.
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