Respect the laws of the country - Ismail Sabri

The move by the government to conduct operations to arrest illegal immigrants in the area of the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) is based on existing laws and for the protection of national interests.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob stressed that this was done under the existing laws in the country.

He stressed that Malaysia as a sovereign nation has the power to carry out these actions and that all parties should respect the laws of this country.

"The decision to safeguard our country's interests is our right and we do it in accordance with existing laws," he said at a press conference here on Sunday.

Ismail Sabri said all illegal immigrants detained from the EMCO area had to undergo COVID-19 screening before being sent to the detention centres.

"Those from the EMCO area underwent a swab test and those in the Masjid India (Kuala Lumpur), I understand (they underwent) three (swab tests).

"The decision to place illegal immigrants in the Immigration depot was also to ensure that they did not move freely after the EMCO in an area was terminated.

"After the end of the EMCO, where do they want to go? Does anyone enter our country and we just let them go even if they do not have any travel documents?," he asked.

Earlier, Amnesty International questioned the authorities' detention of illegal immigrants in the EMCO area and claimed that their decision to place them in Immigration detention centres increased their risk of COVID-19 infection.