RM1,575 - that's what it cost to enter Malaysia illegally
By only paying five million Rupiah (RM1,575) to a skipper, a Indonesian woman was able to enter the country in order to look for work.
Suriyati Suparman, 35, from Surabaya, Indonesia, said although there was a risk of being caught by the authorities, she had to take her chances to feed her two children, who were still in school.
"I came here two years ago and I paid five million Rupiah to the skipper because I wanted to look for work here, they (the skipper) said the pay here was good [...] that's why I came here.
"I know my method (of coming here) was wrong, but I've been divorced by my husband, my children have grown up a little, so I came here to make a living for the two, aged seven and 16, and they are currently being taken care of by their grandmother," she told reporters when met after being arrested in an operation conducted by the Terengganu Immigration Department last night.
Suriyati said she worked as a cook, earning about RM1,000 a month, and sent the money home for her two children every month.
Meanwhile, the Terengganu Immigration Department Enforcement Division chief Ahmad Salihin Salleh said a total of 218 illegal immigrants were inspected during the six-hour operation at five kongsi houses on construction sites around Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu.
"Of the total, 92 illegal immigrants aged between 17 and 50 were arrested, of which 40 were from Bangladesh, Myanmar (35), Indonesia (14), Pakistan (two) and one from Vietnam.
"They will be charged under the Immigration Act 1959/1963 for not possessing valid travel documents, overstaying, and abusing social visit pass," he said.
Ahmad Salihin said the suspects were taken to the Ajil Immigration Temporary Detention Depot for further action.
"This is the third operation since the beginning of the month, after the two in Kemaman and Besut, and from these three operations we have arrested a total of 130 illegal immigrants," he said.
- Bernama
READ Malaysiakini 's special report on debt bondage and the migrant labour supply chain:
Part 1: Debt bondage: Chasing the Malaysian dream from Bangladesh to KL
Part 2: Land lost, debt-ridden, yet many still flow from Bangladesh
Part 3: Why does a construction worker hold a ‘professional visa’?
Part 4: Fear in hopelessness in Malaysia
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