Illegal Immigrant Detention Centres Told To Increase Capacity

July 23, 2007 12:26 PM

Illegal Immigrant Detention Centres Told To Increase Capacity

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- All depots and temporary detention camps for illegal immigrants have been told to increase their capacity to accommodate more detainees.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the directive was issued by the Cabinet last week after discussing the issue of worsening over-crowding at these centres.

Najib who was met by reporters at the parliament lobby here Monday, was asked to comment on the disclosure by Immigration Department enforcement director Datuk Ishak Mohamed yesterday that more than 300,000 foreigners were staying in this country illegally or had violated their work permits.

"Therefore, the Cabinet had asked that the detention depots and camps be expanded to accommodate these foreign illegals and other immigration offenders."

He said additional allocations were being provided for the purpose.

Najib added that at the moment it was not possible to mount a massive operation against foreign illegals as there were not enough detention centres to accommodate them before they be repatriated.

-- BERNAMA