Joint army patrol foils illegal border crossing attempt near Biawak

KUCHING (Aug 10): The Malaysian Armed Forces and the Indonesian National Army (TNI-AD) have foiled an attempt by six foreigners in two separate occasions to enter Sarawak illegally near Biawak in Lundu today.

According to a statement from the First Infantry Division, the first attempt was at 9.45am, when four of the foreigners were apprehended near an illegal trail approximately 150 to 200 meters from the Indonesian border.

A second group was detained at 11.50am in the same vicinity.

It was discovered that the individuals, aged between 25 and 49, were attempting to enter Malaysia for work purposes.

Upon inspection, no elicit items were found on them, and the value of the belongings, including cash, mobile phones, and clothing, were estimated at RM5,455.

All six individuals were then escorted back to the border for expulsion.

A police report was subsequently lodged at the Lundu police station to ensure the process complied with existing regulations.

First Division Infantry commander, Major General Datuk Mohamed Fauzi Kamis, commended the army personnel involved in the operation.

He noted that since January, there have been 21 recorded expulsions, involving 157 illegal immigrants this year to date.

The Malaysian Armed Forces remains dedicated to tightening security along the Malaysia-Indonesia border to prevent illegal entry, smuggling, and other cross-border crimes, he added.