Nearly 200 foreigners held in KL nightclub raid
KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 200 foreigners were detained in an Immigration Department raid on a nightclub offering "dugem" music in Pudu, here, early today.
According to a post on the department's official Facebook page, the raid was conducted following public complaints and two weeks of intelligence gathering by its Enforcement Division in Putrajaya.
"Dugem" is an acronym for "Dunia Gemerlap" (shining world), referring to the nightlife scene, particularly clubbing and discotheques. The colloquial term is also associated with alcohol consumption or taking illicit substances.
"An operations team consisting of 129 officers was deployed to the premises, along with 11 officers from the National Registration Department.
"A total of 310 individuals were initially checked during the operation — 128 foreign men, 116 foreign women and 66 Malaysian citizens," the department said.
It added that 185 Indonesians, comprising 106 men and 79 women, a Cambodian man and woman, and a Nepalese man, all aged between 21 and 35, were detained for various immigration offenses.
"The offences include overstaying and not possessing valid travel documents.
"All detainees were taken to the KLIA and Lenggeng Immigration Detention Depots for investigation and further action."
The department also said eight summonses were issued to witnesses, including the club supervisor, premises caretaker and a female disc-jockey (DJ) working at the venue.
The nightclub's modus operandi was to feature local and foreign DJs playing "dugem" music, primarily targeting foreigners from Indonesia.
"The club operated from 11pm to 5am. At the time of the raid, the foreign patrons were found engrossed in the 'dugem' music."
"All foreigners were held under Section 51(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63," it said.
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