KAJANG: An Indonesian construction contractor jumped from the fourth floor of a shophouse in a bid to escape before being arrested by the Immigration Department in an operation code named Op Kutip at Hentian Jalan Reko here, which started at midnight yesterday.

The 27-year-old man injured his right leg when he crashed into a zinc awning on the second floor of the premises before falling to the ground and trying to escape to nearby bushes but could not do so due to pain.

He said that he did so because he was afraid of being caught as his passport had expired in December last year.

"I entered Malaysia three years ago and my passport has expired since December last year. Because of that, I was afraid and tried to run away," he told reporters. He was among 175 individuals detained in the operation which saw 134 residential units in six blocks in the area inspected.

Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud, who participated in the operation, said a total of 425 foreigners were screened and all those arrested were aged between two and 55 years old, consisting of 132 men,41 women and a boy and a girl

"Out of the total , Myanmar nationals made up the highest number arrested at 115 people, Indonesians (33), Nepalese (9), Sri Lankans (4), Bangladeshis (13) and Indian (1)," he told a press conference after the operation. .

Khairul Dzaimee said among those arrested some were found to be working as cleaners, restaurant and factory workers as well as at several premises around the area involved.

"The detainees also involved asylum seekers from Myanmar (Shan ethnic group) who have United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) cards and already have families here," he said.

In addition, Khairul Dzaimee said that the operation also found a residential unit that was used as an online gambling centre, but the suspects managed to escape through a boarded up window.

"There were about 20 laptops inside the unit while there was a closed circuit camera (CCTV) installed outside the entrance controlled remotely to monitor movement in and out," he said.

He said most of the Indonesians arrested were found to have entered the country through the waters of Johor while those from Myanmar via land at the Kedah border.

He said the foreigners were found to have committed offences like not having documents, expired social visit passes and expired work permits and were then taken to the Semenyih Immigration Detention Depot for further investigation in accordance with the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963.

-- BERNAMA