Deputy home minister Jonathan Yasin said the illegals were from the Philippines and Indonesia and had been detained at the Sandakan and Tawau detention centres, respectively.

“About 200 illegals from Indonesia were to be repatriated this week. In fact, the ship to ferry them back to their country had already arrived in Tawau,” he told reporters here today.

However, Jonathan said his ministry received a request from the Indonesian authorities that the repatriation be postponed to reduce the risk of viral infection.

“The Philippine government also raised concerns over the repatriation, causing us to defer sending about 2,000 illegals now held at the detention centre in Sandakan back to Zamboanga,” he added.

According to him, the repatriation process would resume once the Covid-19 infection involving illegals held at the detention centres came under control.

This morning, Jonathan was with Sabah Immigration director Muhamad Sade Mohamad Amin to view the Patuh Bersepadu operation in Kampung Tanah Merah, Merotai Besar, here.

The enforcement operation from midnight until 3am, involving 94 immigration officers and other personnel, saw 92 factory workers being detained for various offences, including overstaying.

Jonathan said those arrested would be placed at the transit centres to separate them from the detainees at the two temporary detention centres.

“Before taking them to the transit centres, they will be sanitised and screened for Covid-19. The health ministry is handling this,” he added.

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