TELUK INTAN, Jan 2 — A total of 131 Chinese nationals, including eight women, arrested during an immigration crackdown on suspected online scams, pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here today for being in the country without valid travel documents and overstaying.

Judge Norita Mohd Ardani fined 121 of them of RM5,000 each in default of two months’ jail for being in the country without permit while another 10 were fined RM10,000 each in default of two weeks’ jail for overstaying.

They were charged under Section 6 (1)(c) of Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering and staying in the country without valid pass and Section 15 (1)(c) of the same Act for staying in the country beyond the period allowed.

The accused, aged between 18 and 54, entered the courthouse in batches. However, it is understood that their respective charges were read out separately in Mandarin to each one.

All accused pleaded guilty.

The proceedings lasted about six hours and members of the media were not allowed into the court.

The Immigration Department prosecuting team was represented by Nurul Asyikin Rosli and Mastura Mohamad Tajuddin while the detainees were represented by lawyers Zaflee Pakwanteh, Varghese Onny and V. Santhiran.

Some of the 131 Chinese nationals, including eight women, who were arrested in an immigration bust are seen at the Sessions Court in Teluk Intan January 2, 2020. — Picture by Farhan Najib