Published: Sunday September 1, 2013 MYT 7:43:00 PM
Updated: Sunday September 1, 2013 MYT 7:54:14 PM
Armed Forces chief: We will assist in operation to flush out illegals
BY MARTIN ERLE CARVALHO
Filepix shows Khalid (left) and Zulkifeli discussing a point at a recent function
KUALA LUMPUR: The army has been put on standby to assist the authorities in the massive operation to flush out some 500,000 illegal immigrants.
Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin said the army was previously involved in the 6P registration of illegal immigrants last year.
"We will assist the authorities if they require the army's assistance in the present enforcement operations," he told reporters after attending the joint Hari Raya open house of the armed forces and police at the Royal Museum here.
He was commenting of the possible army's involvement in the nationwide operations to weed out illegal immigrants which began Sunday.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the use of the army would be done on an ad-hoc basis.
"At present, army personnel are not involved but they will be roped in if the need arises," he said.
He refused to divulge details of the ongoing operations, saying that the agencies were aware of the illegals' hideout.
He said the focus would be on Peninsula Malaysia and later Sabah and Sarawak.
On Sunday, some 135,000 personnel from the Immigration Department, police, Rela, Civil Defence, National Registration Department and local councils begun nationwide operations to weedout the illegals.
The Immigration Department is the lead agency with Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor identified as dens for illegals.
