KUALA LUMPUR — The Immigration Department (JIM) has arrested 1,005 employers for hiring or harbouring undocumented migrants between January 1 and July 3, said director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban.

The arrests, mostly involving locals in sectors like restaurants, factories, and retail, came after 6,913 operations nationwide, during which 97,322 foreigners were screened and 26,320 detained for immigration offences.

Zakaria said enforcement remains strict, with over 200 hotspots under surveillance, and expressed confidence in exceeding this year’s enforcement targets.

He made the remarks at the IMI KL Run and Customer Engagement Day, which drew over 800 participants and featured 5km and 10km runs around the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Office.