'300,000 Patis in Sarawak impossible'

SERDANG: Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Jaafar denied that there are 300,000 illegal immigrants (Pati) in Sarawak as claimed by certain quarters on social media.
Wan Junaidi said the number is impossible as that would be close to the population of Sibu, one of Sarawak's largest cities.
"Sibu's population is about 400,000, it's impossible that there are 300,000 Patis in Sarawak as they would rival Sibu's population," he told a press conference at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) yesterday.
Wan Junaidi said the more correct estimate would be around 100,000, which is much lower than claimed, but cautioned that lax enforcement could lead to an overflow of Patis much like Sabah.
He said this is why a joint operations task force, which comprises of 12 agencies including the police, land office, water commission, local governments, and others has been formed to address the situation.
The task force raided a Pati village in Miri three weeks ago and detained 155 Suluks, Bajaus, and Ibans who entered Sarawak illegally.
Wan Junaidi then urged local businesses to not hire Patis to discourage others from entering the country illegally as most of them come to find jobs.
"Do not sympathise with them and do not hire Patis as workers, this will discourage others from illegal entry, and those who are here may even return home and enter legally to secure jobs as a result," he said.
Wan Junaidi was at MAEPS to award 778 Immigration Department personnel for the excellent services in 2014 and urged them to keep up the effort to ensure the security of Malaysia's borders.
On an unrelated issue, he denied that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is given preferential treatment when Wan Junaidi recently said he is to be investigated discreetly on blog posts critical of the government if a police report was lodged.
"If the police received a report then they are obligated to investigate it; they receive thousands of reports and most of them are investigated discreetly, and only a few investigations are publicised," he said.