AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER HANDS OUT PACKED RICE TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN PORT KLANG, 1998-03-24 (photo)

An Immigration officer hands out packed rice to some of the 380 Indonesian illegal immigrants during a deportation exercise at the South Port in Port Klang, Malaysia March 24. The Malaysian government said over 18,000 Indonesians, mostly economic migrants, have been detained since January for entering Malaysia illegally. Thousands more are believed to have slipped into the country without being detected since the beginning of the year. However, a massive sea and air operation conducted by authorities in the Straits of Malacca this week has temporarily curbed the entry of illegal immigrants into the country. MALAYSIA IMMIGRANTS