12 March 2013| last updated at 04:10PM
By Olivia Miwil | news@nst.com.my
SANDAKAN: More Filipino illegal immigrants from all over Sabah are rushing to grab seats on the boats to return to Sulu in the Philippine today.
The foreigners who claimed to be refugees, mostly work at the factories and the construction sites here.
However, the recent increased strict checks and raids conducted by the security forces during the ongoing Ops Daulat had caused a stir within their community, causing many to pack up their families and belongings to return to their homeland.
They were seen waiting for the speedboats that will take them to board barter trade ships locally known as "Kumpit" at Pulau Berhala near here.
A local, Abdul Rahman Junaidi, 45, said there was a huge increase in the number of returnees over the past week that many of the foreigners had to wait for days for vacant seats in the boats.
He said they seemed to be coming from all over Sabah including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Semporna.
"The number of passengers seem to be more than last weekend.
"I was told by the boatmen that many came from other districts," he said.
It is believed that over 1,300 had fled to their homeland via the boats. Each Kumpit is able to accomodate 300 passengers at RM70 per person per trip.
On Sunday, Sabah Suluk United Association's Sandakan division president Jamal Ali said the refugees were boarding the boats from the central market in the town.
"Some of them claimed that they were afraid by the heavy presence of our security forces and the constant operations held around the town these few days."
"They felt it was safer for them to go back to their homeland now," he told New Straits Times.
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