Nine arrested in entertainment outlet raid over illegal employment

MIRI: Nine people, including a local man and eight foreign women, have been arrested after police raided an entertainment outlet in Jalan Kubu here over the alleged unlawful employment of foreign workers.

The operations, conducted by officers and personnel from the Miri District Police Headquarters (IPD Miri) at about 12:05 am on October 4, followed intelligence gathered on the premises.

Police said the outlet had a valid business and entertainment licence and was operating within its permitted hours.

However, the investigation uncovered an alleged breach involving the employment of foreign women as guest relations officers (GROs) without valid work permits.

A mugshot of one of the eight foreign women arrested during the police raid on an entertainment outlet in Jalan Kubu, Miri, on October 4.

The eight foreign women, aged between 23 and 43, were allegedly working at the premises to attract customers and increase the outlet’s revenue.

A 38-year-old local man, believed to be linked to the operations of the premises, was also arrested.

Police said checks conducted during the raid found that the nine suspects were allegedly involved in offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The local man is being investigated for allegedly employing foreign workers without valid work permits, while the eight foreign women are being investigated for allegedly misusing their Social Visit Passes.

The local suspect was remanded for two days until October 6, while the eight foreign women were remanded for 14 days. All are being held at the Miri Traffic Police Station lock-up pending further investigation.

The case involving the local man is being investigated under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63. If convicted, the offence carries a fine of between RM10,000 and RM50,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both, for each foreign worker involved.

The eight foreign women are being investigated under Regulation 39(b) of the Immigration Regulations 1963, which carries a fine of up to RM1,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, upon conviction.

The raid highlights the police’s continued enforcement against entertainment premises that may operate within the terms of their business licences but allegedly breach immigration requirements through the unlawful employment or misuse of immigration passes.

Police have reminded all entertainment outlet operators to comply strictly with the conditions of their licences and immigration laws when employing foreign workers.

Authorities also warned that enforcement action would be taken against operators found violating existing laws.