Kampung Cheras Baru residents uneasy over influx of foreigners

KUALA LUMPUR: The residents of Kampung Cheras Baru here claim that an influx of foreigners in the area has made their lives less comfortable.
They also alleged that they were no longer able to enjoy a clean and safe environment.
The residents also expressed concern over the security in the settlement as the foreigners often moved about in groups and it was feared that they would commit crimes.
It is learned that more than 500 foreigners lived in the area, some with valid documents, some illegally and some as holders of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards, such as the Rohingya.
One of the villagers, Chua Ah Beng, 80, said some foreigners operated restaurants without a licence and did not keep the area clean.
"We are also afraid of contracting tuberculosis. The children can't play freely in the nearby field as many foreigners like to gather there often," he told reporters at settlement today.
Meanwhile, Cheras MCA Division Wanita chief Heng Sinn Yee said at a press conference she would lodge a report on the situation with the Immigration Department and the police.
"We urge the police to conduct frequent patrols in the area and call on the Immigration Department to conduct operations against the illegal immigrants," she said. — Bernama