Tanah Merah residents express concern over escapees from nearby immigration depot

Residents of Tanah Merah, Kelantan, are expressing significant concern over 10 undocumented migrants who escaped from the nearby immigration depot this morning. Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat confirmed the incident and stated that an alert has been issued to mobilize a lockdown operation in the area to recapture the escaped migrants. The migration department alerted the police about the incident, which occurred around 3am.

Yusoff explained that the police will investigate the matter further and are working on locating and recapturing all the escaped migrants. Tanah Merah residents have spoken to Bernama about their worries. Norizam Mustapa, a 60-year-old resident from Kampung Bukit Gading, said the proximity of the detention depot, located about 10km from their village, has caused unease among the community.

He urged villagers and those in surrounding areas to remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities if they spot any suspicious individuals.

Restaurant worker Habibah Yakob, 56, also shared her concerns. She learned about the incident through a residents' WhatsApp group and immediately took precautionary measures, fearing that the escaped individuals might come to the restaurant area and pose a threat to the safety of her co-workers, who are women. Habibah expressed hope that the authorities can intensify the search operation to locate and recapture all those who escaped.