PUTRAJAYA has defended the latest raid targeting undocumented migrants during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the arrests were made in accordance with the law.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said such operations by the Immigration Department are normal.

“The operation is not being done just during the movement-control order (MCO) period. Even before the MCO, similar operations were carried out.

“Even when the MCO is over, the authorities will still conduct raids. It has nothing to do with the MCO.

“I believe every country in the world has the same practice, and we acted according to the law,” he told a daily briefing on Covid-19 security matters today.

He was commenting on yesterday’s operation in northern Kuala Lumpur areas surrounding the Selayang wholesale market, where migrants, including refugees, are known to work and live in.

It follows a raid against undocumented foreigners at Menara City One in the city centre on May 1, and another operation at Selangor Mansion two days later.

These buildings were placed under the enhanced MCO after coronavirus cases were detected.

The government has been criticised for conducting the raids, as it had promised in the early stages of the MCO, which took effect on March 18, not to arrest illegals, and would instead encourage them to come forward for Covid-19 testing.

Migrant rights group Tenaganita has urged Putrajaya not to carry out raids.

“Migrants are not able to work and earn money because of the pandemic, and now, you arrest them for violating immigration offences,” director Aegile Fernandez told The Malaysian Insight previously.

There were also complaints that social distancing was not observed in the earlier raids, but the authorities said all those detained had already been tested for the virus. – May 12, 2020.