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About
50 illegal immigrants, including a pregnant
woman, were found squeezed in a narrow
compartment inside a passenger ferry engine room
in an attempt to flee the country.
The 28 men and 20 women were packed against each
other in the dark compartment with their heads
only inches away from the ceiling.
Selangor marine police arrested the 41-year-old
ferry captain and eight crew members.
The Indonesians were arrested in Bagan Hylam at
about 9.30am yesterday following a public
tip-off.
The case is being investigated under Section 56
(1) (d) Immigration Act for harbouring illegal
immigrants.
Port Klang commanding officer DSP Norzaid
Muhammad Said said the ferry with the capacity
of 200 passengers belonged to an Indonesian
company.
It was supposed to head to Tanjung Balai in
Indonesia yesterday.
A 23-year-old illegal immigrant, who is six
months’ pregnant, said she worked as a maid in
Seremban and had paid RM900 to return to her
home in Jawa Tengah.
“I never expected to be forced into the small
and dark room inside the ferry. It was very warm
with only a small hole and a fan,” she said.
“The crew promised that we would be transferred
to another ferry with proper seats when we were
far out at sea.”
She added that she was taken to the ferry at
about 9pm the previous day via a speedboat and
spent a night on the ferry before going into the
engine room just before dawn.
DSP Norzaid said the police discovered this new
tactic where a compartment was built in an
engine room.
“We believe this is the job of a syndicate,” he
told a press conference at the marine police
base in Pulau Indah.
Source: The STAR
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