A 30-year-old Bangladeshi national, Eman Hossain, was sentenced to five months in prison and three whipping for overstaying, after his immigration pass was revoked.
The prosecution was conducted by Immigration and National Registration Department (INRD) prosecuting officer Adi Yusra bin Haji Adanan before Magistrate Hajah Normazdina binti Haji Md Maskub.
The conviction came as part of a broader enforcement effort by the INRD, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies.
The joint operation – ‘Operasi Kabat Bersepadu 130/2024’ was carried out across several rental properties in Mukim Sengkurong. During the operation, authorities inspected 57 individuals, leading to several enforcement actions.
Among the findings, 11 foreign nationals were arrested by the INRD Enforcement Division for failing to present valid documents.
Meanwhile, the Royal Customs and Excise Department issued seizure notices to seven foreign nationals under the Excise Order 2006 for possessing smuggled cigarettes.
The Labour Department also conducted checks on 18 companies, uncovering several violations under the Employment Order 2009, including failing to provide written contracts of service, not paying workers’ overtime wages, and failing to grant rest days.
The violations also include exceeding prescribed working hours, not providing leave on public holidays and failing to ensure adequate living conditions and sanitation for workers.
The employer also violated placing foreign workers in roles or locations not specified in their permits, breaching conditions under the foreign worker recruitment license, and failing to provide insurance coverage for employees. Authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing. No violations were found by the Royal Brunei Police Force or other agencies during the operation. – Fadley Faisal
