KUALA LUMPUR – A high-profile raid on a karaoke centre disguised within an office building in Jalan Raja Chulan here on Thursday resulted in the arrest of 213 individuals, including 199 suspected undocumented immigrants.
The operation was initiated by the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Department (JIM) in collaboration with the Melaka JIM.
The karaoke centre offered "Grade A" guest relations officers (GROs), primarily Chinese women, who were reportedly paid exorbitant tips for their services.
During the raid, some GROs attempted to hide themselves on a renovated floor or behind counters.
Several condoms were discovered in the karaoke rooms, suspected to be intended for immoral activities.
JIM Deputy Director-General (Operations) Jafri Embok Taha said the raid targeted four KTV centres within the 21-story building and screened 300 individuals.
A total of 213 people were detained, including 14 locals and 199 suspected undocumented immigrants, among whom were 109 women aged between 20 and 60 years.
The foreign detainees included 186 from China, two from Cambodia, two from Hong Kong, one each from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Myanmar, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
"Preliminary investigations suggest that the Chinese women, suspected to be GROs, were brought to the premises by visitors as entertainment companions,” Jafri told reporters at the raid site.
Kuala Lumpur JIM Director Wan Mohammed Saupee Wan Yusoff was also present.
Jafri also revealed that the karaoke rooms were priced between RM4,000 and RM30,000 and operated from 11pm to 4am.
He added that most of the foreign detainees had entered Malaysia as tourists and were found to be overstaying, misusing passes, or lacking valid travel documents.
Jafri stressed that strict action would be taken against locals who employ foreign workers illegally, and that JIM would not tolerate any collusion.
"Our focus is to take firm action against employers who protect undocumented immigrants.
"Without employers hiring undocumented immigrants, the influx of them would not occur, and actions will be taken under the Immigration Act 1959/63," he added.