KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA: With a grass-cutting machine, a motorcyle and a rake, Indonesian Ahmad Inad (not his real name) is ready to earn a living in Sabah.

The trouble is, the 50-year-old Butun from Sulawesi holds a passport complete with a permit that only allows him to work in a government-run plantation in Kalabakan. Worse still, it bears the name of a different person.

Time is running out for Ahmad as the government has launched a massive operation to track down illegal immigrants across the state.

Ahmad has violated the conditions on his permit as he is supposed to be in Kalabakan, not Penampang, where he lives in a rented house with his wife and two of his six children.

"I paid an agent for a work pass earlier this year and now I do not know how to reach him," said Ahmad.

He knows the validity of the document expires next March and understands that it is wrong for him to hold it.

Ahmad said he first came to Sabah in 1984 and understands how the system works here.

"This new operation launched by the government appears to be more serious because of the present political situation.

"Political parties are calling for more action by the authorities to solve the illegal immigrant problem and that is why I believe it will be like 2002 again."

He was referring to the integrated exercise launched by the government back then, dubbed Ops Nyah II Bersepadu, in which more than 30,000 illegal immigrants were repatriated. Another 60,000 returned on their own.

"That is why I feel rather edgy now. I have made arrangements for my wife and children to leave in a day or two as they are here illegally.

"I will join them in Nunukan (Kalimantan) early next week.

"I will return maybe in a month or two, but I will be using my own passport.

"By then, I will try to secure a more steady job and work pass," said Ahmad, explaining he had to "buy" the dubious permit he was holding now because his passport had expired when he left the state.

"Because of that, I was only allowed to return to Sabah after six months.

"I could not wait that long.

"I entered Sabah illegally and managed to secure myself the document for RM2,000 through a friend in Putatan."

A spokesman for the Immigration Department said such cases were common as people who claim to be employment agents easily duped many of the foreigners.

"They do it out of desperation. Violation of the conditions of their permits is one of the most common offences committed by foreigners," he said, noting at times the fault also lay with the local employers.

"In Sabah, we do not allow foreigners to be employed as grass-cutters.

"Yet, so often you see them working by the roadside.

"If you check on them, I am sure many of them are supposed to be hired as gardeners or plantation workers."

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