Illegals hiding out in old folks homes

KUALA LUMPUR: Illegal immigrants are now targetting old folks home as their hideout in the latest tactic employed by foreigners to stay in the country.
Authorities believe many owners of such homes are cashing in on the illegal immigrants bent on hiding from the law.
The illegals also help out the owners by taking care of the senior citizens and housekeeping of the home.
In a joint operation conducted by the police, Immigration Department and National Registration Department, enforcement officers raided a Nan Yang retirement home in Tasik Permai, Ampang at 1.30am here Sunday.
Officers nabbed 18 Bangladeshis and Indonesians at the old folks home and initial checks revealed that the illegals paid about RM400 each in rent.
It is learnt that the illegals earn their livelihood working as labourers or doing odd jobs in the vicinity of the home.
Ampang Jaya police Asst Comm Abdul Jalil Hassan said there were only eight senior citizens living at the home that had been renovated to house the illegals.
“The old folks lived in front portion of the home while the illegal stayed at the back where the owner had reconstructed the area into several rooms.
“We learnt the foreigners had been living there for at least six months,” he said.
ACP Abdul Jalil said that in the same operation, the authorities picked up another 157 illegals from Bangladesh, Indonesia and Myanmar in the three-hour operation conducted throughout Ampang.
“We caught 67 men, 60 women and 30 teenagers and children without valid documents,” he said adding there were a total of 140 officers in the operation dubbed Ops Nyah II.